Message from the Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Canada-Vietnam diplomatic relations

On the occasion of Canada and Vietnam celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations (August 21, 1973 - August 21, 2023), the Embassy of Canada in Vietnam has produced a video commemorating this important historical milestone.

In his role as 'narrator', Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Steil reviewed the outstanding achievements in the 50-year journey of establishing Vietnam-Canada diplomatic relations.

Half a century ago, just months after the Paris Agreement was signed, Canada and Vietnam officially established diplomatic relations, followed by the opening of an Embassy in Hanoi in 1994 and soon after that a Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City in 1995.

In 2017, Vietnam hosted the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) meetings. With the participation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the leaders of Canada and Vietnam announced a Comprehensive Partnership, based on five priorities for a deeper relationship: political and diplomatic dialogue; trade and investment; defense and security; development, cultural and academic exchange; and science, technology and innovation.

In 2022, bilateral dialogue will continue to strengthen, as demonstrated by the recent meeting at the ASEAN Summit between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

The two countries are witnessing steady growth in trade, defense, development assistance and people-to-people exchanges.

In terms of trade, bilateral trade has reached new heights every year. In 2022, two-way trade in goods between Canada and Vietnam reached 13.8 billion Canadian dollars, up from 10.5 billion Canadian dollars in 2021. This remarkable growth has placed Canada among the top 10 countries globally that purchase the most Vietnamese exports. Vietnam is currently Canada's largest trading partner in the ASEAN bloc.

People-to-people exchanges continue to grow thanks to Canada’s vibrant Vietnamese-Canadian community, the growing number of young Vietnamese studying in Canada, and the growing number of Canadian tourists wanting to explore Vietnam’s natural beauty, diverse culture and vibrant cities.

“Canada has been a trusted development partner of Vietnam for over 30 years. Canada is proud that this long-standing and sustainable partnership has supported the transformation process, lifting millions of people out of poverty in Vietnam,” said Ambassador Shawn Steil.

“As we mark 50 years of diplomatic relations, we want to reiterate our commitment to continue strengthening our relationship with Vietnam to support a prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to building deeper ties by further cultivating this important partnership in the years ahead,” Ambassador Shawn Steil emphasized.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/thong-diep-cua-dai-su-canada-tai-viet-nam-nhan-ky-niem-50-nam-quan-he-ngoai-giao-canada-viet-nam-239107.html