Vietnamese President To Lam kicks off first visit to Philippines

Vietnamese President To Lam kicked off his two-day inaugural visit to the Philippines on Sunday aimed at deepening cooperation between the two countries, state media reported.

To Lam and his wife Ngo Phuong Ly arrived aboard a Vietnam Airlines flight in Manila, where Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. welcomed the Vietnamese leader, the state-run Philippine News Agency reported.

The arrival marked the first visit by a Vietnamese Communist Party leader to the Philippines.

Philippine's President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is expected to formally welcome To Lam on Monday before holding bilateral talks focused on strengthening cooperation in trade and investment, food security, defense and maritime cooperation, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.

Vietnam remains the Philippines' only strategic partner in Southeast Asia and one of its key economic and security partners in the region.

The visit comes weeks after Marcos and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung agreed at an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit to establish a long-term rice trade mechanism.

Vietnam is among the Philippines' largest rice suppliers and plays a critical role in helping stabilize domestic rice supply and prices.

Next year the two countries are set to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.