Photo credit: PCO

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. kicked off his official visit to Lao PDR for the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits by sitting down with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. The two leaders didn’t waste any time diving into discussions aimed at boosting the already solid relationship between the Philippines and Vietnam.

Their conversation was all about growing economic cooperation—particularly in trade and agriculture. President Marcos and PM Chinh expressed their excitement over celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Philippines-Vietnam Strategic Partnership in 2025, setting their sights on further collaboration in these key sectors.

Aside from the productive talks, President Marcos took a moment to extend his heartfelt condolences for the recent losses Vietnam faced due to Typhoon Yagi and the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. It was a diplomatic yet warm gesture that emphasized the camaraderie and mutual respect between the two nations.

With both countries committed to strengthening their partnership, this meeting was just the start of what promises to be a series of exciting developments for the Philippines-Vietnam relationship.