Philippines and Vietnam Launch Joint Coast Guard Exercises

First-ever drills aim to strengthen maritime cooperation amid South China Sea

Vietnamese coast guard ship arrives in Manila for a four-day visit and joint exercises.
The drills will include search and rescue, fire, and explosion contingency operations.
Both nations have overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea and face tensions with China.
The exercises are seen as a template for de-escalating regional maritime conflicts.
Philippines and Vietnam signed agreements to boost cooperation and prevent incidents in disputed waters.