The Philippines and Vietnam are boosting defense ties to counter China in the South China sea territorial dispute.

China has maintained an aggressive stance on its claim of sovereignty on almost the entire South China Sea, to the dismay of many neighbors including Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam.

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Hanoi's deputy prime minister and foreign minister Pham Binh Minh went to Manila Thursday for a two day visit. Building strategic partnership, stepping up security and strengthening trade and cultural ties were among the topics discussed with Manila's foreign minister.

"We believe a strategic partnership enhances the cooperation on a comprehensive basis," Philippine's Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said.  He added, that strategic partnership forged with Vietnam would be the country's third, after the United States and Japan.

The Philippines and Vietnam had recently taken steps to forge closer ties, amid China's tougher stance in the region.

The strategic partnership will step up high-level contacts between the two militaries, through joint naval patrols, training and exercises.

In the past, China had only relied on maps, textbooks, passport watermarks to back up their claims on the region.

In its increasingly assertive behavior, Beijing had begun construction project in the disputed Spratly Islands, which drew a formal protest from the Philippines.

The Philippines said the move is a violation of the parties' commitment not to build any structure in the contested areas.

"The massive reclamation is a threat to all of us," Del Rosario said, adding it has fed tension.

China's assertiveness had led its neighbors to forge closer relationships, at the most, erase old distrust.

Vietnam backed the Philippines in its arbitration case against China at the U.N. tribunal in the Hague, which China snubbed. A ruling is expected early next year.

Last year, Vietnam showed off two of its most powerful frigates in its first ever port call to the Philippines.  The two navies also held their first staff-to-staff talks as the two countries exchange intelligence and information on naval technology.

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