Filipino, Vietnamese Senior Officials Convene in Hanoi
The Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) of the Vietnam-Philippines joint committee took place in Hanoi August 17 in preparation for the 6th session of the two countries’ joint committee to be held here next year.
The meeting was co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dao Viet Trung and his Filipino counterpart, Enrique Manalo.
The meeting reviewed the two countries’ ties since the fifth session of the joint committee held in Manila in February 2008, especially in politics, economics, trade, investment, education and training and security and national defense.
The two sides also shared views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the ASEAN cooperation and Vietnam’s assumption of the bloc’s presidency in 2010.
The visiting Filipino deputy minister also paid a courtesy visit to Vietnamese Deputy PM and Foreign Minister, Pham Gia Khiem.
Vietnam and the Philippines officially formed diplomatic ties in July 1976.
Bilateral trade between Vietnam and the Philippines reached US$2.2 billion last year, surpassing 2010’s target of US$2 billion. (The People)
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