Ambassador of Canada to Việt Nam Shawn Steil wrote to Việt Nam News on Canada's National Day, July 1

Happy Canada Day!

Bonne fête du Canada!

Chúc mừng Ngày Quốc Khánh Canada!

Today, Canada Day celebrates confederation: the birthday of Canada. 156 years ago, on July 1, 1867, Canada came together as a nation united under a constitution and a commitment to “peace, order and good government”.

As Canada and Việt Nam celebrate our 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, I am delighted to have the opportunity to share with you some highlights of recent years.

On the trade front, bilateral merchandise trade reached new heights every year. In 2022, two-way merchandise trade between Canada and Việt Nam reached US$13.8 billion, up from $10.5 billion in 2021. This remarkable growth has put Canada in the top 10 global buyers of Vietnamese exports!

Our people-to-people ties continue to grow thanks to a dynamic Vietnamese-Canadian community in Canada, a growing number of Vietnamese youth who study at our world-class academic institutions, and the increasing number of Canadian tourists who are discovering the natural beauty, diverse culture and vibrant cities of Việt Nam.

The International Workshop on Female Police Officers Joining the UN's Peace Operation - Opportunities and Challenges at People's Security Academy on May 30, 2023. — Photo courtesy of the embassy

Since 1990, Canada has contributed approximately $1.8 billion in international assistance to Việt Nam (via bilateral, multilateral, and humanitarian channels). In 2021-2022, Canadian International Assistance to Việt Nam was almost $50 million.

The current bilateral development programme focuses on reducing poverty and inequality by supporting growth that works for everyone, and gender equality and women’s economic empowerment. This includes programmes in food systems and food safety, investment readiness and the growth of small and medium enterprises and cooperatives, social impact business, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), and supporting ethnic minorities. Efforts are underway to align future support to Việt Nam’s goals on climate change adaptation and mitigation and to support Việt Nam’s commitment to a just energy transition.

Canada and Việt Nam have made great progress in advancing our bilateral defence relationship in recent years. In 2021, Canada and Việt Nam held their first annual Defence Policy Dialogue at the deputy minister level and endorsed the first Three-Year Work Plan on Defence Cooperation. Việt Nam has welcomed four Royal Canadian Navy ship visits to its ports since 2018.

In 2022, Canada established a permanent presence of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in Việt Nam with two new positions, in Hà Nội and in HCM City, in an effort to strengthen border management capacity and support in the region.  

The partnership between Canada and Việt Nam is vital for the region. We are neighbours in the Asia-Pacific region and share a common vision of a free, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. In November 2022, the Government of Canada launched our Indo-Pacific Strategy, which highlights Việt Nam as a key partner for Canada in the region, and we are committed to doing more to support regional peace and stability.

As we mark this important anniversary, we want to reiterate our commitment to strengthening ties with Việt Nam to support a prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific. We look forward to forging deeper links by building on this important partnership in the years to come.

Canadian pianist Matt Herskowitz performed for Việt Nam-Canada in Musical Harmony at the Vietnam National Academy of Music on November 23, 2022. — Photo courtesy of the embassy

On July 1, as Canadians celebrate our National Day, we reflect on our global contributions and the importance of investing in international relationships. We look forward to building on an already very strong foundation for the benefit of our people. I would like to recognise the many friends of Canada who – through civil society organisations, cultural and academic exchanges, the private sector and other networks – have contributed to the development of the Canada-Việt Nam relationship.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I wish you all a happy Canada Day and invite the people of Việt Nam to celebrate the ties that bind us and the opportunities that will keep us connected. — VNS