US President Donald Trump and Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang at a joint press briefing in Hanoi on November 12, 2017. (Photo: VNA)

The statement said the two nations concluded a new Three Year Plan of Action for Defense Cooperation, which will increase bilateral naval activities. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of freedom of navigation, over flight, and unfettered commerce in the East Sea and their commitment to a rules-based approach to resolving maritime disputes.