Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines Sign Trilateral Maritime Cooperation Pact in Manila Summit

Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines signed a trilateral maritime cooperation framework in Manila on May 1, formalising what the three governments described as a coordinated approach to fisheries enforcement, search and rescue, and maritime domain awareness across overlapping zones in the South China Sea and Sulu-Celebes seas.

The agreement was inked by Vietnamese Defence Minister Phan Van Giang, Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Budi Gunawan, and Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Año at the close of a two-day summit hosted by Philippine President Bongbong Marcos.

What the pact covers

According to the joint communique released by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, the framework establishes three operational pillars. The first creates a permanent trilateral coordination cell based in Cebu to handle real-time information sharing on fishing fleet movements, illegal trafficking, and humanitarian incidents at sea.

The second pillar commits the three navies to conducting at least four joint patrol exercises annually, beginning in October 2026, in waters bordering the Sulu Sea and adjacent EEZs where overlapping claims have historically slowed joint enforcement. The third pillar formalises mutual port access for naval vessels providing humanitarian assistance during typhoons and other disasters.

"This is not a security alliance," Marcos said in remarks delivered at the closing press conference. "It is a practical operating framework that allows our coast guards and navies to do the work they have been doing informally for years, but with the legal architecture to make it routine."

Background

The three ASEAN states have all faced separate confrontations with Chinese maritime forces in disputed waters over the past 18 months. Vietnam reported 47 incidents involving Chinese coast guard vessels in its EEZ in 2025, according to figures released by Hanoi's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March. The Philippines reported 31 such incidents in the same period, including the September 2025 ramming near Second Thomas Shoal that drew international condemnation. Indonesia, while not a claimant in the South China Sea dispute, has experienced repeated incursions by Chinese fishing fleets in waters around the Natuna Islands.

The pact carefully avoids any reference to the South China Sea by name. Both Indonesian and Vietnamese officials briefed reporters separately that the framework is "geographically agnostic" and applies to any maritime zone where the three states operate. The omission appears designed to preserve diplomatic flexibility with Beijing, which has consistently opposed multilateral security arrangements in the region.

Reaction

The U.S. State Department welcomed the agreement in a statement issued late Friday. "We support practical efforts by ASEAN states to enhance maritime security and uphold international law," the statement said.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, addressing reporters in Beijing on Friday morning, said Beijing "respects the right of ASEAN countries to develop bilateral and trilateral cooperation" but warned that "external interference must not be permitted to disturb regional peace and stability."

Japan and Australia, both of which have separate maritime cooperation agreements with the Philippines, said they would seek dialogue with the trilateral coordination cell once it became operational. ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn issued a brief statement endorsing the agreement as "consistent with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific."

The framework enters into force on July 1, 2026, after ratification by each of the three legislatures. The first joint patrol exercise has been scheduled for October 14–18 in waters off Sabah, Malaysia, with Malaysian observers invited but not participating directly.