Philippines and Vietnam agree to cooperate on the disputed South China Sea as Marcos visits Hanoi

The Philippines and Vietnam have signed an agreement on preventing and managing incidents in the disputed South China Sea during Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.'s visit to Hanoi. Several countries — including the Philippines and Vietnam — are locked in maritime disputes with China over its claims of sovereignty over virtually the entire South China Sea, one of the world’s most crucial waterways for shipping. The Southeast Asian countries also signed a deal for Vietnam to supply rice to the Philippines for the next five years. Vietnamese rice accounts for 85% of imported rice in the Philippines.