The leaders of the Philippines and Vietnam have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in maritime security, to counter China's assertive claims in nearby waters. The Philippine President Benigno Aquino and the Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met in Manila yesterday. They discussed regional issues, including the recent maritime standoff between China and Vietnam over a Chinese oil rig in the South China Sea as China's installment of the oil rig violates international law and poses a serious threat to peace and stability in the regional waters. They said that bilateral cooperation would enable them to better protect their marine resources.