Vietnam, Canada Seek to Expand People-to-People Exchanges and Strategic Cooperation

Ottawa, The Gulf Observer: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm has called for expanded people-to-people exchanges between Vietnam and Canada as the two countries deepen cooperation in emerging areas, including science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, clean energy, green transition, climate change response, education and human resource development.

Tô Lâm made the remarks during a meeting with members of the Canada-Vietnam Friendship Association on September 25, held as part of his state visit to Canada.

The Vietnamese leader noted that bilateral relations have made significant progress over more than five decades since the establishment of diplomatic ties and nearly a decade since the two countries established their comprehensive partnership.

He said political trust between Vietnam and Canada has continued to grow, while trade and investment, defence and security, science and technology, education and training, and people-to-people exchanges have developed steadily.

Tô Lâm expressed appreciation for the valuable support provided by Canadian friends to Vietnam and bilateral relations. He said the commitment demonstrated through various activities had encouraged the Vietnamese people during challenging periods of national construction and defence.

The General Secretary and President reaffirmed Vietnam’s foreign policy based on independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, as well as the diversification and multilateralisation of its external relations. He also emphasised Vietnam’s commitment to active participation in multilateral institutions, comprehensive international integration and efforts to address common global challenges.

Tô Lâm said the two countries’ leaders have decided to upgrade bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, building on more than 50 years of ties and guided by the interests of their two peoples.

He outlined the framework of the upgraded relationship, with political relations serving as the foundation, economic, trade and investment cooperation as the focus, science, technology and innovation as a breakthrough area, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges as a strong social foundation.

To further strengthen bilateral friendship, Tô Lâm called on the Canada-Vietnam Friendship Association to work closely with the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association.

He urged the organisations to enhance their role as bridges between the two peoples, raise awareness of each country in the other, and promote mutual understanding, trust and friendship.

The Vietnamese leader encouraged members of the Canada-Vietnam Friendship Association to continue serving as “people-to-people ambassadors” by helping present Canadian society with an objective picture of Vietnam as a peaceful, stable, dynamic and innovative country that is actively integrating with the international community.

He also called for greater efforts to involve younger generations in bilateral exchanges, including young people, students, scholars, entrepreneurs and Vietnamese Canadians. Youth, student, cultural and educational exchange programmes were highlighted as important means of ensuring continuity in bilateral relations.

Tô Lâm further encouraged the friendship associations to connect local governments, universities, businesses and people’s organisations in Vietnam and Canada, establish regular exchange mechanisms and promote cooperation based on shared interests.

He also called for greater attention to the Vietnamese community in Canada, including efforts to support its integration and strengthen its role as a bridge for friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Members of the Canada-Vietnam Friendship Association welcomed the positive development of bilateral relations and expressed their continued commitment to strengthening people-to-people solidarity.

Philip Fernandez, a founding member of the association, said its members had published numerous articles and issued statements highlighting Vietnam, its people and its development.

He also informed Tô Lâm that the association had maintained a range of activities related to Vietnam, including discussions in early 2026 on the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the country’s development orientations for the new period.

Tô Lâm said the longstanding affection shown by Canadian friends toward Vietnam had endured for more than half a century. He described this friendship as a valuable foundation for the next phase of the two countries’ strategic partnership.