Philippines, Vietnam to Sign Coastguard Deal Risking China’s Ire

The Philippines and Vietnam will agree to boost coastguard cooperation during a visit to Hanoi next week by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, officials said, a move that risks angering China.
The two Southeast Asian countries have competing claims over swathes of the South China Sea, an important waterway for fishing and global trade that China claims almost in its entirety.
The two countries will sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between their coastguard forces, the Philippine coastguard said on Thursday.
It is unclear what the agreement will entail, but coastguard cooperation is crucial to reducing the risk of clashes between fishing vessels that encroach into foreign waters – a step that could help ease bilateral territorial disputes.