Viet Nam joins meeting of ASEAN-Canada Joint Cooperation Committee. (Photo: VNA)

At the virtual meeting, ASEAN and Canada expressed their delight at progress in their cooperation, particularly in the implementation of the action plan for the joint declaration on ASEAN-Canada dialogue partnership for 2021-2025. They discussed ways to step up bilateral engagements this year, marking the 45^th founding anniversary of their partnership.

Canada stressed the importance of its collaboration with the bloc, considering ASEAN a priority in its foreign policy. ASEAN plays an important role in maintaining the political stability and economic development of the region, it said, wishing to participate more deeply in ASEAN-led processes.

Canada is also committed to continuing to support ASEAN in its community building efforts, including the implementation of the ASEAN Vision 2025, Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 (MPAC 2025), ASEAN Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan IV (2021-2025), and the bloc’s pandemic response and recovery.

ASEAN, meanwhile, highly appreciated Canada's commitments and support on the three pillars of politics-security, economy and society-culture, especially regarding trade-investment, small- and medium-sized enterprises, education, disaster management, energy security, transnational crime, women's and children's rights, migrant workers.

ASEAN thanked Canada for its 1.38 million USD contribution to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund last year.

The meeting also discussed preparations for the 19^th ASEAN-Canada dialogue and the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) with Canada this year.

The 11^th ACJCC meeting is slated for 2023.