Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has expressed his wish that during his tenure, Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Perry Steil will make active contributions to Vietnam – Canada comprehensive partnership, especially in the context of the fifth anniversary of their bilateral comprehensive partnership and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Perry Steil (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has expressed his wish that during his tenure, Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Perry Steil will make active contributions to Vietnam – Canada comprehensive partnership, especially in the context of the fifth anniversary of their bilateral comprehensive partnership and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
During a reception in Hanoi on August 23, PM Chinh expressed his delight at the effective and practical development of bilateral ties, with two-way trade hitting 3.57 billion USD in the first half of this year, up 25.5% annually. Vietnam’s exports to Canada surged 32% to over 3.25 billion USD in the period.
As of November 2021, Canada was the 14th biggest investor in Vietnam with 231 projects worth over 4.81 billion USD. The host also thanked the Canadian Government for providing Vietnam with 1.3 billion USD in official development assistance since 1990.
Ahead of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year, the PM suggested the ambassador assist in facilitating all-level visits, especially those at high level, and promote cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, investment, development assistance, post-pandemic recovery, climate change, environmental protection, clean and green growth, and high-quality human resource training.
As the two countries are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), PM Chinh highlighted the need to lift two-way trade, partly by making it easier for Vietnamese goods, especially agro-fisheries, fruits, cashew nuts, coffee, honey and wooden furniture, to enter Canada.
The PM asked the Canadian Government to continue supporting the roughly 240,000 Vietnamese living in the country as well as offer more scholarships to Vietnamese students and graduates to elevate cooperation in human resources and sci-tech.
Steil, for his part, hailed Vietnam as a bright example for countries worldwide to follow in its COVID-19 response.
He pledged to pay attention to stepping up bilateral economic, trade and investment ties via increasing direct goods transportation between the two countries, as well as cooperation in climate change response and delivery of commitments made at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, and promote discussion on issues of shared concern.
🌊 On the East Sea issue, both sides underscored the importance of the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, towards reaching a practical, effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea and ensuring freedom, maritime and aviation security and safety in the East Sea./.
The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS) and its Canadian counterpart have agreed to support each other in humanitarian activities and look towards a long-term cooperation agreement in the time ahead.
Vietnam and Canada held the first meeting of the Joint Economic Committee in Vancouver on July 6 with a view to helping lift bilateral economic ties to a new level and intensify the two countries’ comprehensive partnership.
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.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Perry Steil (Photo: VNA) 
