Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. met with Lai Thai Binh, Ambassador of Vietnam to the Philippines, during the latter's introductory call at the Department of National Defense (DND) on Friday.

Highlighting the substantive visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Vietnam last January, both officials saw opportunities for further collaboration in the field of defense and security, particularly on intelligence exchanges, cyber security, counter-terrorism, maritime security, among others.

Teodoro also expressed concerns over recent security developments in the region, and welcomed support from Vietnam in upholding rules-based international order and adherence to international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

To further enhance defense cooperation between the Philippines and Vietnam, Teodoro extended his invitation to the Vietnam Minister of Defense to visit the Philippines and discuss other avenues for cooperation, such as disaster risk reduction and logistics cooperation.

Other matters discussed include the involvement of civil defense agencies, such as the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and similar agencies in strengthening cooperation in disaster risk reduction. Defense Communications Service