During Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Hanoi, the Philippines and Vietnam agreed to strengthen cooperation between their coastguards. The two nations, which have had territorial disputes in the South China Sea, are crucial for fishing and global trade, areas China claims almost entirely. This impending collaboration is expected to provoke China’s disapproval.

According to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the memorandum on coastguard cooperation aims to enhance mutual understanding, trust, and confidence between the two parties. Deals include discussions on incident prevention and maritime cooperation among coast guards, as stated by a Vietnamese official during a formal ceremony at the presidential palace.

China’s state-run People’s Daily Online warned that if Vietnam and the Philippines cooperate in ways that challenge China’s interests, it could escalate tensions in the South China Sea and increase the risk of conflict.

Some experts doubt the effectiveness of the Philippines and Vietnam forming a united front against China. Nevertheless, these agreements align with international law, including the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

China claims ninety percent of the South China Sea as its sovereign territory, facing opposition from Southeast Asian states and Taiwan. The sea is strategically important, with abundant fishing resources, potential oil and gas reserves, and $3 trillion of annual trade.

As strategic partners, the Philippines and Vietnam aim to respond to the rapidly changing world and regional dynamics through unity and cooperation. The foreign ministers of both countries reiterated the importance of maintaining peace, security, stability, and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.