Vietnam, Canada further promote comprehensive partnership

During the official visit to Vietnam by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2017, the two countries established a comprehensive partnership, opening a new chapter in bilateral relations.

The past 5 years have been a very meaningful time for the strong development momentum of the increasingly fruitful relationship between Vietnam and Canada, with the building a new dialogue framework on politics, defense and economy.

Notably, the value of bilateral trade soared by 72.7% and the number of Vietnamese students studying in Canada also increased sharply.

During the five-year period, both nations have also constantly cultivated the comprehensive cooperation relationship and brought this relationship to a new level, along with valuable support for each other during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnam wholeheartedly supported Canada's efforts in kicking off negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The friendly relationship between the two countries is not only limited to the bilateral level, but has been extended to the regional and international scope.

Canada has funded CAD1.2 billion (more than US$0.8 billion) for 101 projects in Vietnam within the framework of development cooperation, especially those for women in remote areas that the Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly had the opportunity to find out during her trip to Vietnam in April.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada Pham Cao Phong affirmed that Canada and Vietnam have many similarities as both countries have the aspiration to boost national development in peace and bring prosperity and happiness to the people.

Vietnam and Canada always respect the fundamental principles of international law, the UN Charter and the laws of each country.

Official visits, face-to-face meetings, online discussions and phone calls between the leaders of the Governments and ministers of both nations in recent years have created a solid foundation for the further development of the cooperative cooperation, and enhancement of common priorities in bilateral relations, Phong went on to say.

Ambassador Pham Cao Phong recommended that economic linkage, as the driving force of the Comprehensive Partnership, should be further strengthened by taking full advantage of the benefits that the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for The Trans-Pacific Progress (CPTPP) brings.

According to the Ambassador, it is necessary to promote a sustainable and reliable supply chain, while expanding cooperation in science, technology, innovation, green energy, climate change and the environment.

These are factors that will help ensure the economic security of the two countries. The Ambassador also expressed his hope that when pandemic control regulations are relaxed, and visas can be issued smoothly and quickly, it will create opportunities for cultural and people-to-people exchanges, the promotion of friendship between the two countries.

Speaking at the ceremony, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly affirmed her nation’s desire to strengthen its longstanding partnership with Vietnam, and emphasized the importance of Vietnam in Canada's upcoming Indo-Pacific strategy in the context of people-to-people exchange relations between the two countries being extremely close and the two countries being members of the French-speaking Francophonie community.

The Canadian Foreign Minister also expressed her wish that Vietnam would support Canada in becoming a strategic partner of ASEAN. In 2021, ASEAN is the northern African nation’s fourth largest trading partner, with the value of goods exchanged between the two sides reaching US$25 billion.

At the ceremony, Ambassador Pham Cao Phong, along with Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, Senator Victor Oh and Dr. Dang Trung Phuoc, a representative of the Vietnamese community in Canada, planted 2 magnolia trees at the campus of the House of Vietnam. The magnolia flower is native to Asia and is extremely popular in North America. This is seen as a valuable gift that strengthens the solidarity between the two countries.

During the past five years, despite many complicated changes in the world and regional situation, the comprehensive cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Canada has been steadily developing, becoming more and more practical and effective.

Currently, the two countries are looking forward to the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations (1973-2023) - an important milestone in the friendship and extensive cooperation, in the context that the two countries increasingly share many interests on bilateral, regional and international levels.