In Ha Noi Viet Nam’s Deputy Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Vu Van Tam and the Philippines Deputy Foreign Affairs Secretary, Rafael E Seguis, signed an fisheries cooperation agreement. The report said that the agreement includes providing support for fishermen at sea and combined search and rescue operations.
The two countries are determined to strengthen co-operation to the benefit of their fishermen. Tam told that fisheries development in the two countries has similar features and the Philippines has expertise in fisheries management. He added that it has also conducted successful research into the growing and processing of algae.
This cooperation is said to be limited to exchanges of information and management. Viet Nam and the Philippines share long-term and traditional neighbourliness. This includes economic, political and social co-operation, especially within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The Philippines deputy foreign secretary said that fisheries-industry co-operation between the two countries was essential, particularly the exchange of information and the prevention of illegal fishing.
