MANILA, June 1 -- The Philippines and Vietnam have officially elevated their bilateral ties to an enhanced strategic partnership, scaling up regional defense synergy and grassroots community links during the state visit of Vietnamese President To Lam, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.

At the invitation of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Lam, who also serves as the general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, undertook a two-day state visit to the Philippines.

Marcos hosted a ceremonial reception and held high-level bilateral discussions with Lam at Malacanang Palace.

Amid evolving geopolitical dynamics, Marcos and Lam centered their talks on regional security and ASEAN integration...