Justin Trudeau’s visit to Vietnam to enhance bilateral ties
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will pay an official visit to Vietnam on November 8 and 9, which is expected to mark an important milestone in bilateral ties and help foster bilateral cooperation more productively in all fields.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Source: The Forward)
Hanoi (VNA) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will pay an officialvisit to Vietnam on November 8 and 9, which is expected to mark an importantmilestone in bilateral ties and help foster bilateral cooperation moreproductively in all fields.
Thevisit takes place at a time when Vietnam – Canada relations are growingrobustly and producing mutual benefits across sectors.
Thetwo countries established diplomatic ties in 1973 and began exchange ofhigh-ranking delegations since 1994.
In September 2014, the Vietnamese and Canadian ministers of foreign affairssigned a letter of intent on boosting bilateral relations. In July 2017, theirfirst political consultation at deputy-foreign-minister level was held inCanada. Exchange of high-ranking officials between the sides has beenincreased, as has cooperation in politics-diplomacy, economics-trade, andeducation-training.
Vietnamis currently Canada’s biggest trade partner in Southeast Asia and a prioritisedmarket in Canada's Global Markets Action Plan. Bilateral trade in recent yearsgrew about 20 – 25 percent on average, hitting 4.1 billion USD in 2016 and 2.34billion USD in the first eight months of 2017. Vietnam mainly exported toCanada machines, electronic devices, woodwork products, apparel, and footwear,while importing from the country fertilizers, soybeans and oily nuts, machines,and spare parts. The two countries aim to lift bilateral trade to 10 billion USDin the next 10 years.
With149 projects worth 5.28 billion USD, Canada is ranked 14th out of112 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. Major Canadian-fundedprojects in Vietnam include the 4.2 billion USD Ho Tram tourism complex in BaRia – Vung Tau, a 220 million USD hospital in Hai Duong, and a 74.4 million USDwind power project in Ninh Thuan.
Since1990, Canada has to date provided 800 million USD in official developmentassistance for Vietnam to help the country carry out economic reform, alleviatepoverty, boost agriculture, and protect the environment. Total value of validprojects using ODA from Canada amounts to more than 60 million CAD.
Thenumber of Vietnamese students in Canada doubled in the past 10 years to 5,000,surpassing the figures of their peers from other ASEAN member states. Canada ishosting approximately 250,000 Vietnamese expatriates.
Interms of security – defence, the two countries have focused on delegationexchanges, cooperation at international and regional forums, military andEnglish training, anti-terrorism, humanitarian aid and immigration.
Collaborationbetween localities, such as Ha Tinh and Langley, Ho Chi Minh City and Toronto,and Da Nang and Vancouver, is also a highlight in bilateral relations.-VNA
National Assembly Vice Chairman Do Ba Ty has met with senior officials of Canada’s parliament and government, voicing his hope for enhanced substantive cooperation between the countries' parliaments.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada Nguyen Duc Hoa has affirmed that the Vietnamese embassy in Ottawa and Consulate General in Vancouver will always link the overseas Vietnamese up with the home country.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc led a delegation to Canada from July 6-7 and conducted the first deputy foreign minister –level political consultation between the two nations.
He also welcomed the “Vietnam Private Sector Panorama” as a platform for dialogue, awareness-raising, and inspiring a wealth-creation movement, emphasising that it must deliver tangible results.
During a meeting on August 10 in Seoul with 100 representatives from the RoK’s intellectuals, associations, people’s organisations, businesses, and non-governmental organisations operating in Vietnam, Party General Secretary To Lam expressed his gratitude to Korean friendship, economic, cultural associations, universities, research institutes, individuals, and NGOs for their significant contributions to nurturing the Vietnam–RoK relationship.
Party General Secretary To Lam met with Chairman of the Republic of Korea (RoK)–Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group Ahn Gyu-back in Seoul on August 10 as part of his state visit to the RoK.
The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee is scheduled to convene its 48th session on August 11-13, with August 14-15 set as a backup date, according to the NA Office.
Vietnam’s Ambassador to Brazil and Bolivia Bui Van Nghi has led an embassy delegation to attend official events marking the 200th anniversary of Bolivia’s Independence Day.
Party General Secretary To Lam met with members of the Vietnam Innovation Network in Korea (VINK) and Vietnamese experts living and working in the Republic of Korea (RoK) in Seoul on August 10 as part of his state visit to the RoK.
In an interview with Korean media on the occasion of Party General Secretary To Lam’s state visit to the RoK, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that the visit demonstrates Vietnam’s strong resolve to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the RoK, with the aim of fostering greater political trust, closer strategic coordination, more substantive and comprehensive cooperation, and stronger bonds of friendship between the two countries' people.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who is also a Politburo member and Secretary of the Government Party Committee, attended the 4th Party Congress of the EVN Party Organisation for the 2025–2030 tenure on August 10, directing EVN to ensure power supply to meet the country’s development demands with double-digit growth set for the coming years.
Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, along with a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived in Seongnam Air Base in Seoul on August 10 afternoon (local time), beginning a state visit to the Republic of Korea from August 10-13.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Source: The Forward)
