Vietnam and Canada have ramped up efforts to strengthen bilateral relations, as shown by various phone discussions, online meetings, and political consultations held over the past year, Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada Pham Cao Phong outlined during a recent media interview.

This comes after four Canadian ministers attended five online international conferences held by the country, praising co-operation ties and the Vietnamese role as ASEAN Chair 2020, Ambassador Phong said. Indeed, the local diplomat added that Canadian Minister of Defence Harjit Sajjan had even voiced support for Vietnamese and ASEAN’s efforts to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea, as well as in Southeast Asia, at a recent international conference held to discuss matters relating to the East Sea.

This year has also witnessed milestones achieved in bilateral ties following the establishment of the Canadian military attaché office in Hanoi, a step which will ultimately help to enhance defence relations between both sides.

Most notably, Canada was the country of honour during the Vietnam FoodExpo which was held in Ho Chi Minh City in early December.
Sound political ties have also facilitated trade growth, witnessing a surge of 10.8% between January and October, with Vietnamese exports rising by 15.3% to US$5.1 billion and the country enjoying a trade surplus of US$4.65 trillion.

Furthermore, Ambassador Phong also spoke highly when discussing impressive figures of several products, with substantial revenue growth seen amid the global slowdown, such as electronic products and parts which have gone up by 64.6%, mobile phones by 42.5%, processed seafood by 23%, and furniture by 13.6%.

Both sides have therefore bolstered co-operation ties in the supply chain of essential items as a means of coping with the impact of the pandemic. Indeed, made-in-Vietnam face masks can now be found on the shelves of many Canadian stores.

Ambassador Phong also noted another remarkable event during the course of the year, the Canadian Government’s announcement of a humanitarian assistance package of CAD700,000, equivalent to over US$500,000, for locals hit by recent flooding in central Vietnamese provinces. In addition, Canada also provided technical support in order to carry out the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

In an effort to create a driver for the joint comprehensive partnership moving forward, the Vietnamese diplomat suggested that both sides continue phone discussions and arrange visits in order to intensify co-operative schemes and plans once the pandemic is fully brought under control.

The Vietnamese diplomat also underlined the need to boost co-operation ties at a local level, especially between Ho Chi Minh City and its twin city Toronto, in addition to between Quebec and different Vietnamese ministries and sectors. This should be done whilst enhancing economic links between the two sides, given the complementary nature of the two economies and disruptions to supply chains.

Moving forward, both sides need to strive for closer co-ordination at international forums, whilst also carrying out measures aimed at promoting co-operation in tourism, education, healthcare, and culture.

These measures, coupled with those to reinforce political and economic ties, can be considered of great importance in order to consolidate the comprehensive partnership set up three years ago, in addition to marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations ahead in 2023.

Moreover, Christine Nakamura, vice president of the Asia Pacific Foundation, praised the co-operation potential that exists between the two countries, especially through the CPTPP.

Before both sides signed the trade deal, they enjoyed stable growth in relation to economic ties, Nakamura said, adding that the deal will bring even greater benefits to both countries in the future.

There exists many co-operation opportunities with the nation, she added, which is notable for implementing a better response to the pandemic compared to other ASEAN member states and is expected to record positive GDP growth ahead in 2021.

Canadian companies will also be incentivised to get involved in the Vietnamese market providing that the country does well with technological innovation, she added.