Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met with the General Secretary and President of Vietnam, Tô Lâm, during his visit to Ottawa, Ontario.
Prime Minister Carney and General Secretary and President Tô Lâm reaffirmed the importance of a stronger Canada-Vietnam partnership in a rapidly changing world. They discussed shared challenges and emerging opportunities, with a focus on expanding trade and investment in aerospace, artificial intelligence and digital technology, transportation, and agri-food. Prime Minister Carney also underscored Canada’s role as a reliable energy partner and the potential to deepen energy cooperation, including on LNG.
During the visit, they issued a joint statement elevating Vietnam-Canada relations to a new Strategic Partnership. This Partnership will deepen cooperation across trade and investment, transportation, supply chains, digital and emerging technologies, energy security and the environment, food security and agri-food, defence, aerospace, maritime security, education, and people-to-people ties.
To advance this new Strategic Partnership, Canada and Vietnam signed or renewed four Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs). These MOUs will strengthen cooperation in key areas, including conventional and clean energy, the maritime transport sector, environment and climate change, and food safety.
Vietnam is Canada’s largest merchandise trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with bilateral merchandise trade doubling over the past five years. The leaders redoubled their focus on concluding negotiations for a Canada-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) this year. Once in force, this agreement will lower trade barriers, expand market access, and create more predictable conditions for businesses in Canada and ASEAN. The Canada-ASEAN FTA is expected to add nearly $2 billion to Canada’s GDP and create nearly 14,000 Canadian jobs, including in agriculture and manufacturing.
As Canada and Vietnam continue to work together to expand cultural and people-to-people ties, the Prime Minister and the General Secretary and President announced the expansion of the Air Transport Agreement to permit direct flights – both passenger and cargo – between the two countries. The agreement will further strengthen commercial and investment linkages and make it easier for people in Canada and Vietnam to visit, study, and do business.
Prime Minister Carney and General Secretary and President Tô Lâm agreed to remain in close contact, including in the lead-up to the upcoming ASEAN Summit, Vietnam’s hosting of the 2027 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting, and the 2028 Francophonie Summit in Canada.