This week the Philippines and Vietnam are launching their first ever joint coastguard exercise in Manila Bay, as part of a mutual commitment to increase maritime cooperation.

This is the first drill between two Southeast Asian countries that have rival claims to parts of South China Sea. They have also had encounters with China’s coastguard in this disputed waterway.

Manila and Vietnam have signed two agreements during the January state visit of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to Hanoi. The agreement aims to improve cooperation between coast guards in both countries and prevent any untoward incident in South China Sea.

The 90 metre long Vietnamese ship CSB 8002 docked in Manila's port on Monday, for a 5-day visit.

The Philippine Coast Guard said that on Friday, it will conduct training exercises on fire prevention and search and rescue with BRP Gabriela Silang's 83-metre patrol boat.

Armando Balilo, PCG's Spokesperson, said that despite the rivalry between the Philippines and Vietnam, both countries have claimed the West Philippine Sea. This shows how we can cooperate. This template can also be applied to China in order to deescalate the conflict.

Manila calls the West Philippine Sea the exclusive economic zone of its country.

Philippines and Vietnam filed separate claims at the United Nations for an extended continental shelf in order to recognize their rights beyond the 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone of the South China Sea.

China has claimed almost all of the South China Sea. This includes parts that are also claimed by Brunei Malaysia Taiwan and Vietnam. The strategic waterway is home to $3 trillion in annual trade, and it's believed that some parts of the area are rich with oil, natural gas, fish, etc. Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales, Editing by Raju Gopikrishnan

(source: Reuters)