Philippines Vietnam deepen maritime law enforcement cooperation with joint exercises Cebu

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) have strengthened their maritime cooperation during the VCG Vessel CSB 8002's weeklong goodwill visit to Cebu Port, featuring bilateral meetings, joint exercises, and cultural exchanges aimed at enhancing regional maritime safety, security, and environmental protection. This visit marks the second deployment of the vessel to the Philippines and underscores both nations' commitment to active defense diplomacy and international integration, with discussions focusing on future cooperation in joint training, professional development, and coordinated maritime incident responses. Concurrently, the Philippines is nearing a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) with France, signaling expanded defense collaboration, which would allow joint military exercises on each other's territory, similar to existing agreements with the US, Australia, Japan, and others. The Philippines and Japan are also deepening security ties through the Reciprocal Access Agreement, facilitating joint humanitarian and disaster relief operations such as the recent earthquake response in Cebu. Together, these developments highlight Manila's strategic efforts to bolster defense partnerships and maritime security in Southeast Asia amid regional challenges.