In his opening remarks at the event, Ambassador Pham Vinh Quang highlighted the sound relationship between the two countries in various fields, from diplomacy, politics, investment, trade to cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. He affirmed that Vietnamese people have always considered Canada as a trusted friend and real partner in the Pacific region.

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Congressman Shaun Chen, Co-chairman of the Canada-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group (second from left), General Secretary of the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association under the VUFO Nguyen Nang Khieu (second from right), and Ambassador Pham Vinh Quang (first from right).

Congressman Shaun Chen, Co-chairman of the Canada-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group, acknowledged that people-to-people exchange is one of factors to promote the two countries’ ties in all aspects, especially when Canada is implementing the Indo-Pacific Strategy in which the relationship with Vietnam is an important part.

The ties between Vietnam-Canada have seen positive changes since the two sides established a Comprehensive Partnership in 2017. Vietnam has become Canada’s biggest trading partner in ASEAN and a gateway for Canadian enterprises to invest in Southeast Asia as well as the Asia-Pacific region. Meanwhile, Canada has become Vietnam’s second largest partner in Americas. Two-way trade reached seven billion USD in 2022 and the figure is expected to climb to 10 billion USD in 2023.

General Secretary of the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association under the VUFO Nguyen Nang Khieu said people-to-people diplomacy is one of three pillars of Vietnam’s diplomacy in the new context, contributing to promoting bilateral relations between the two countries.

The Vietnamese community in Canada currently has about 300,000 people and there are about 21,000 Vietnamese students studying in Canada. This is said to be an important resource and social basis that contributes to promoting the development of the two countries' relationship in all fields, especially in cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

Source: VNA