The two-day session was chaired by Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his Philippine counterpart Albert F. Del Rosario.

The two sides also discussed co-operation in other sectors such as science and technology; the environment; agro-forestry and fisheries; education and training; and human resources and information technology.

During the session, the two sides evaluated the implementation results of agreements reached at the sixth session held in Ha Noi in 2011 and the Viet Nam-Philippines Action Programme, as well as put forth further measures to boost their co-operation in the future.

They agreed to continue the implementation of an agreement on national defense co-operation, a Memorandum of Understanding on increasing communication and information sharing between the naval forces of both countries, and an agreement on setting up a hotline between Viet Nam's Maritime Police and the Philippine's Cost Guard.

They stressed that maritime co-operation was a pillar in their bilateral relations and expressed delight at the positive results achieved in the past, including the establishment of a joint committee on maritime issues at the deputy foreign minister-level, including a group of legal experts on sea-related issues.

The two sides also discussed measures to effectively implement a co-operative agreement on dealing with oil spills and another on maritime search and rescue.

They also applauded the signing of an agreement on rice supply during the 2014-16 period and agreed to boost negotiations and to complete a protocol for agricultural co-operation.

The two sides agreed to organise the eighth session of the committee in Viet Nam in 2015.

Presidential welcome

Minh paid a courtesy visit to Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday.

At the meeting, President Aquino III said his country always attached importance to its friendship and multi-faced co-operation ties with Viet Nam, both as neighbours and ASEAN members.

The Philippine president applauded the effective work of the bilateral co-operation committee, adding that the 7th session would be a success thanks to the careful preparations of both sides, thus helping to expand and deepen the bilateral ties.

He also suggested the two countries' foreign ministers seriously review and timely address remaining issues relating to the bilateral ties in order to ensure the scheduled implementation of the Viet Nam-Philippines Action Plan for the period 2011-16 as well as agreements to be reached at this session.

For his part, Minh briefed the Philippine president on outstanding outcomes in bilateral cooperation since the previous session, especially in the fields of politics-foreign relations, economics-trade-investment, sea-ocean and agro-fishery.

He also expressed his wish that President Aquino III would direct Filipino relevant agencies to settle cases of detained Vietnamese fishermen and ships on the basis of humanitarian spirit and the fine friendship between the two countries.

Discussing matters on the East Sea, the two sides upheld the principles of ASEAN on ensuring peace, stability, security, and maritime safety and freedom, settling disputes by peaceful means in conformity with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, carrying out seriously the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and ASEAN's Declaration on Six-point Principles on the East Sea, and advancing towards the early building of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

On this occasion, FM Minh conveyed Vietnamese leaders' invitations to President Aquino III to visit Viet Nam.

VNS