The Philippines’ top diplomat on Monday said the country is looking into boosting its strategic partnership with Vietnam.

On the sidelines of the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo met with his Vietnamese counterpart, Bui Thanh Son, to discuss upcoming high-level engagements and bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

“We both looked forward to further elevating our Strategic Partnership and build on key accomplishments in defense and maritime cooperation, economic, and socio-cultural relations,” Manalo said.

The Foreign Affairs chief emphasized the significance of the strategic partnership between the two nations in light of shifting geopolitical dynamics, including ongoing disputes in the resource-rich maritime areas.

Earlier this month, Vietnam sent diplomatic notes to the Philippines and China protesting the two countries’ activities in the disputed waters of the South China Sea. It urged the two nations to respect its territorial claims.

Vietnam considers the resource-rich Spratly Islands, located about 500 kilometers (310 miles) off its east coast, as part of its territory.

The Sandy Cay reef lies near Pag-asa Island, where the Philippines deploys troops and maintains a coast guard monitoring base.

In 2023, the Philippines emphasized the need to strengthen maritime cooperation with Vietnam under their strategic partnership agreement, as both countries faced growing maritime security challenges in the South China Sea.