Canadian PM congratulates Vietnamese people on lunar New Year holiday

VOV.VN - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on January 22 extended lunar New Year greetings to Vietnamese people living in Canada at a get-together virtually hosted by the Embassy of Vietnam in Canada and the Canada Vietnam Society.

This is the time to mark new beginnings, welcome the arrival of Spring and reflect on the past, he said via videoconferencing.

It’s time to give thanks to what have united the two peoples, he added noting the lunar New Year holiday is also an occasion to recognize the immeasurable contributions by the Vietnamese-Canadian community.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Pham Cao Phong reviewed major developments in the Vietnam – Canada relations, saying despite the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries maintained high-level talks and exchanges, including those between the two Prime Ministers and a number of ministers.

The establishment of the Vietnam – Canada Joint Economic Commission (JEC) two weeks ago is expected to further facilitate trade and investment between the two sides, he said.

The Ambassador highly appreciated significant contributions by Vietnamese Canadian businesspeople to bilateral trade exchanges that grew 19% last year.

Vietnam expects to become a “new economic tiger” in the region in 2022 – the year of the Tiger, and this goal can only be achieved through international cooperation, in which the Vietnam-Canada economic ties play an important role, the diplomat stressed.

The function was attended by senior officials of the Trudeau administration and Canadian parliament, as well as ambassadors of various ASEAN member countries in Canada.

Mary Ng., Canadian Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business & Economic Development, expressed her belief the JEC would help strengthen the people-to-people diplomacy as well as the growing trade relationship between Vietnam and Canada.

Participating delegates were treated to a special art programme and traditional delicacies of Vietnam.

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