Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh congratulated President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday for the Philippine government’s effective COVID-19 response and for achieving one of the highest gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in Asia.

“I wish to send my congratulations to the people of the Philippines for containing the COVID-19 pandemic and sustaining a high growth rate of GDP,” Prime Minister Chinh said during the bilateral meeting with the Philippine leader in Phnom Penh on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.

During their meeting, the Vietnamese leader also expressed eagerness to work with the Philippines in addressing maritime issues, particularly illegal fishing and balancing trade.

PM Chinh also highlighted the need for new approaches in addressing the present challenges and called for adherence to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

Both leaders have also agreed to further strengthen their partnership in several areas, such as defense, trade, investment, agriculture, and security.

In his roundtable meeting with Cambodian businesses earlier in the day, the President said his administration had taken the Philippine economy in the right direction, touting the recent economic achievements, particularly the drop in the unemployment rate for the third quarter this year to 5 percent from 5.6, 5.7 percent.

Marcos also mentioned the 7.7 percent growth for the last quarter, which he said is one of the highest growth rates in Asia right now. | PND