By Prashanth Parameswaran
Officials say the pact could be finalized soon.
The Philippines and Vietnam have agreed to ink a strategic partnership agreement by the end of the year to bolster bilateral ties, officials from both countries have said.
According to Agence-France Presse, Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said that the deal could be signed on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit in November which will be held in Manila.
The idea of a strategic partnership between the two countries is not new. It dates back to May 2014, when Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung began publicly expressing their desire to move forward with a proposal to elevate ties to that level.
Read the full story at The Diplomat