Vietnam People’s Navy Commander Vice Admiral Tran Thanh Nghiem exchange insights with AFP Deputy Chief of Staff LtGen Rommel P Roldan. (Photo by AFP)

PH, Vietnam Navies Beef Up Security Ties

Our Bureau - : Sep 24, 2025 - : 6:12 pm

A top Philippine Navy official met with Vietnam’s navy admiral in Manila on Tuesday, with both sides vowing to strengthen security ties. The development came after Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) Vice Admiral Tranh Thanh Nghiem met personally with Philippine Navy...

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A top Philippine Navy official met with Vietnam’s navy admiral in Manila on Tuesday, with both sides vowing to strengthen security ties.

The development came after Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) Vice Admiral Tranh Thanh Nghiem met personally with Philippine Navy (PN) Chief Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta.

"We are maritime neighbors with quite a short distance from each other. As we say in Vietnam, the more we meet, the better we understand each other," a PN statement on Wednesday quoted Nghiem as telling Ezpeleta during the meeting at the Naval Station Jose Andrada in Manila.

"We share common interests, as well as difficulties, which we must address together for peace and stability," Nghiem added.

Nghiem lauded the success of the 8th Philippines–Vietnam Personnel Exchange held at Northeast Cay in July and expressed hope that such collaborative engagement will be maintained for years to come.

Both navies also reaffirmed their strong record of humanitarian support, noting that since 2011, the PN had rescued 23 Vietnamese fishers while the VPN had saved 60 Filipino fishers.

"This is a very good result and good coordination between our navies," Nghiem said.

Ezpeleta, for his part, expressed his appreciation for the growing partnership between the two navies and for all the help and support the Vietnamese have given the Philippines, especially in assisting distressed Filipino fisherfolk at sea.

"We already have a very good relationship. We help each other in many ways, particularly now that we share the same issues and concerns. Hopefully, we can find ways to ease the pressures in our waters while further strengthening this partnership," Ezpeleta said.

Manila and Vietnam are among the most vocal critics of Beijing’s increasing aggression in the South China Sea

Last year, the Vietnam Coast Guard vessel CSB 8002—a 2,400-ton, 90-meter ship with 80 crew members—visited Manila for a four-day goodwill mission that included joint exercises with the Philippine Coast Guard.

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