Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung holds phone talks with Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro
WVR - On the afternoon of March 25, Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung holds phone talks with Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro and several regional issues of mutual interest.
Latest
 |
| Politburo Member and Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung affirmed Vietnam's support for the Philippines in successfully assuming the role of ASEAN Chair in 2026, as well as the priorities of the ASEAN Chairmanship Year. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
During the call, the two Foreign Ministers praised the cooperation between the two countries and their Foreign Ministries in recent times. They agreed to further elevate cooperation across all fields, from politics and diplomacy to defense, security, economy, and people-to-people exchanges, contributing practically to the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (July 12, 1976 - June 17, 2026).
Both sides emphasized the importance of promoting high-level and various-level exchanges across all Party, State, and National Assembly channels, effectively utilizing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, especially the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation between Vietnam and the Philippines. They aim to soon achieve a bilateral trade turnover target of over 10 billion USD.
Discussing several international and regional issues of mutual concern, the two Ministers agreed that in the current context of numerous fluctuations and challenges, ASEAN needs to maintain regular information exchange and coordinate responses to challenges, demonstrating solidarity, centrality, resilience, and the ability to address new issues and challenges.
Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung affirmed Vietnam's support for the Philippines in successfully assuming the role of ASEAN Chair in 2026, as well as the priorities of the ASEAN Chairmanship Year under the theme “Steering a Common Future Together”.
Minister Le Hoai Trung also appreciated the Philippines' role in chairing and leading important Ministerial meetings held since early 2026, and the efforts of the Philippines in leading and promoting ASEAN's responsible voice and common stance in response to escalating tensions in the Middle East, with the issuance of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Statement and the recent online Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
