MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. arrived in Vietnam on Monday afternoon for a two-day state visit, which aims to strengthen the bilateral ties between the Philippines and Vietnam.

He is accompanied by First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos and the Philippine delegation.

The plane carrying President Marcos and the First Lady arrived at around 3:05 pm (Vietnam time) at the Noi Bai International Airport where they were warmly welcomed by the Vietnamese officials.

President Marcos will visit the Vingroup Company later in the day to deepen the Philippines’ engagement with them. It is Vietnam’s largest private company with $21.1. billion market cap as of April 2023 through its subsidiary VinFast, which has a valuation at $15 billion.

VinFast plans to sell and launch its electric vehicles (EVs) in the Philippines through dealership business by April 2024 to test the local market first as it expressed its intention to engage in the manufacture/assembly of CKD EVs depending on the outcome of its market tests.

Some Philippine private sector leaders will join with President Marcos during the meeting in a bid to accelerate partnership opportunities.

After the meeting, the President and the Philippine delegation will meet with the Filipino community to personally thank them for their contributions to strengthen the connections between the Philippines and Vietnam, which serves as a home to 7,003 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

The President and the Philippine delegation will pay a visit to Vietnam from January 29 to 30, and are expected to be back home on the 31st of January before dawn. (PND)