Vietnam, Canada Elevate Bilateral Relations to Strategic Partnership

Ottawa, The Gulf Observer: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm held talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa during his State visit to Canada, with the two leaders announcing the elevation of bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership.

Prime Minister Carney warmly welcomed Tô Lâm and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, describing the visit as historically significant and expressing the view that it would provide fresh momentum for deeper and more substantive bilateral relations.

Carney praised Vietnam’s socio-economic development, growing international role and contributions to the international community, describing Vietnam as an important partner for Canada in strengthening ties with ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific region.

Tô Lâm thanked the Canadian Government and people for their warm welcome and conveyed greetings and best wishes from Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng to Carney. He also expressed his hope to welcome the Canadian Prime Minister to Vietnam.

The two leaders noted the progress achieved in Vietnam-Canada relations over more than five decades of diplomatic ties and nearly a decade under the Comprehensive Partnership framework. They highlighted growing political trust and mutual understanding, expanding economic, trade and investment relations, and increased cooperation in defence and security, education, science and technology, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

Against this backdrop, the two sides agreed that their relations had reached the necessary conditions for a new stage of development based on stronger political trust, broader and more substantive cooperation, and increasingly interconnected interests.

They agreed to develop a concrete agenda and action plan for implementing the Strategic Partnership, while increasing high-level exchanges, strengthening parliamentary cooperation, making effective use of bilateral consultation mechanisms and coordinating more closely at regional and multilateral forums.

Carney said Canada would seek to make economic, trade, investment, financial and economic integration cooperation key drivers of the Strategic Partnership. He called for improved market access, greater trade and investment promotion, stronger supply-chain linkages and increased Canadian investment in Vietnam. He also welcomed potential cooperation in infrastructure and transport and expressed support for establishing direct air links between the two countries.

The Canadian Prime Minister also emphasised the importance of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and called for progress towards an early conclusion of negotiations on the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement.

Tô Lâm proposed that science and technology, digital transformation, artificial intelligence and advanced technologies become new drivers of bilateral cooperation. He called for stronger collaboration in research and development, technology applications, digital government, the digital economy and digital society, as well as greater emphasis on high-quality human resource development.

The two sides agreed to strengthen links among universities, research institutions and businesses, expand joint research and technology transfer, and develop innovation ecosystems.

Vietnam and Canada also agreed to expand cooperation in energy, including clean energy, liquefied natural gas, renewable energy and peaceful applications of nuclear energy. They further agreed to strengthen collaboration in healthcare, environmental protection, agriculture, food security, education, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

The leaders emphasised the potential for cooperation in agriculture, food production and food trade to contribute to sustainable supply chains.

Tô Lâm also called on Canada to continue supporting the Vietnamese community in Canada and create favourable conditions for its members to stabilise their lives, integrate into Canadian society and contribute to bilateral friendship.

In defence and security, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in defence, security and law enforcement according to their respective needs and interests. Areas identified for expanded cooperation included non-traditional security, maritime security, cybersecurity, humanitarian assistance, UN peacekeeping and combating transnational crime.

The two sides also agreed to support efforts to establish a bilateral Dialogue on Security and Law Enforcement.

Carney affirmed Canada’s support for Vietnam’s organisation of the third Vietnam International Defence Expo and said Canada would send representatives to the event. He also welcomed Vietnam’s plan to establish a Defence Attaché Office in Canada.

On regional and international matters, the two leaders reaffirmed their support for dialogue, cooperation, multilateralism, the UN Charter and international law. They stressed the importance of peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, internationally known as the South China Sea.

They agreed that disputes should be resolved peacefully in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Carney reaffirmed Canada’s support for ASEAN centrality and closer ASEAN-Canada cooperation. The two leaders agreed to enhance coordination at the United Nations, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, APEC, the CPTPP and ASEAN-led mechanisms.

Tô Lâm expressed appreciation for Canada’s support for Vietnam in undertaking international responsibilities, while Carney thanked Vietnam for its support for efforts to strengthen ASEAN-Canada relations and advance negotiations on the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement.

Tô Lâm invited Carney to pay an official visit to Vietnam in 2026 and attend the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in 2027. Carney accepted the invitation and affirmed Canada’s readiness to work with Vietnam to contribute to the success of APEC 2027.

During the meeting, the two leaders witnessed the exchange of cooperation documents between agencies of the two countries and announced a Joint Statement formally elevating Vietnam-Canada relations to a Strategic Partnership.

The leaders expressed confidence that the new framework would open a new chapter in bilateral relations and facilitate broader, more substantive and effective cooperation, while contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development in the region and beyond.