Vietnam President Visits Philippines to Boost Trade and Security

The Vietnamese president, who also heads the Communist Party, is scheduled to arrive in Manila on May 31 and stay until June 1. During the brief visit, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will host him to discuss trade deals and joint maritime security initiatives.

The Philippines has been working hard to strengthen ties with allies, especially after hosting its biggest joint defence drill last month. Both countries claim parts of the South China Sea, but clashes are rare; their navies have even played friendly games together in the Spratly Islands to demonstrate goodwill.

Both Vietnam and the Philippines face tension with China, which claims most of the sea area. They have had stand‑offs and recently held joint exercises in 2024.

The Vietnamese president will first visit Thailand, then head to Singapore on Friday where he will speak at the Shangri‑La Dialogue security forum. Earlier this year, he met Chinese President Xi Jinping—his first overseas trip since taking office as Vietnam’s most powerful figure.