Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has met with Vietnamese leaders during a state visit.

Manila and Hanoi agreed to boost maritime cooperation in order to prevent incidents in the South China Sea, where both countries have conflicting territorial claims.

On Tuesday, the two countries signed a deal to enhance coordination on maritime issues and promote trust and understanding. They will also establish a hotline communication system between their coastguards.

During the talks, Marcos said that Vietnam remains the sole strategic partner of the Philippines in the ASEAN region. He added that he hoped the meeting would provide further opportunities to reinforce bilateral relations.

In addition, they signed a trade deal in which Vietnam agreed to supply 1.5 million to 2 million tons of rice per year to the Philippines, at a competitive and affordable price.