Report After Visit to Vietnam

SPEECH OF PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

UPON RETURN FROM HIS OFFICIAL VISIT TO VIETNAM

Davao International Airport, Davao

September 30, 2016

Colleagues in the government; mga kababayan: Good morning.

I return today from a productive official visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

My trip to Hanoi was another step forward in further solidifying the valuable ties between our nations and peoples.

In my meeting with President Tran Dai Quang, we committed to ramp up bilateral exchanges to boost our Strategic Partnership. 

We agreed to increase the exchanges between our officials and peoples and establish a six-year action plan starting 2017 for the implementation of activities in the areas of common interest.

We have also agreed to increase the volume and achieve a more balanced trade and investment. We will enhance the investment environment to make it more conducive for businesses in both countries to flourish.

Aside from identifying new avenues of defense cooperation, we further agreed to strengthen the existing maritime cooperation mechanisms.

We will adopt measures to ensure the safety and security of fisherman from both countries.

We will explore ways to intensify law enforcement cooperation against transnational crime, including the illegal drugs trade. 

We recognized that sustained economic growth and development rides on the back of a stable and secure environment. 

We reaffirmed the commitment to maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight, as well as unimpeded commerce in the region, particularly in the South China Sea. 

We called for a peaceful resolution of disputes including full respect for legal and diplomatic processes, self-restraint in the conduct of activities, without resorting to a threat or use of force, in accordance with the universally recognized principles of international law, under the 1982 UNCLOS.

We are nations for peace. We will continue to be so. A peaceful region is what we owe as a legacy to our succeeding generations.

We agreed to support each other in other aspects of leadership roles in the 2017 as the chairs of ASEAN and APEC, respectively and to reciprocate the warm hospitality of each of the countries.

I met with several leaders from both Philippines and Vietnam companies and encouraged mutually beneficial investments in the country.

My official visit to Vietnam demonstrated our adherence to an independent foreign policy which seeks cooperation and collaboration with friendly nations on the basis of sovereign equality, non-interference, and the mutual respect to protect our national interests.

On a personal note, I was deeply honoured to have been welcomed warmly by the Filipino community in Vietnam. They are our hard working kababayans who continue to contribute to the social economic development of their host nation and our own country.

I informed them of developments in our country and I assured them – as I have assured you – that I will be faithful to the mandate you have reposed in me as your president.  

Daghang salamat. ●