State President Lương Cường (right) had talks with outgoing Canadian Ambassador to Việt Nam Shawn Perry Steil on June 26 in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — State President Lương Cường hosted a reception in Hà Nội on Thursday for the outgoing Canadian Ambassador to Việt Nam Shawn Perry Steil.

Congratulating his successful tenure, President Cường expressed appreciation for his efforts in advancing the Việt Nam–Canada ties, especially during milestones like the fifth anniversary of their Comprehensive Partnership in 2022 and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2023.

Despite global and regional volatilities, he noted with satisfaction that the two nations have kept the positive momentum going, with frequent high-level meetings and sideline engagements at major international events. Economic and trade ties have grown steadily, while defence cooperation remains a standout pillar.

The President also highlighted people-to-people and locality-to-locality exchanges, calling the nearly 300,000-strong Vietnamese community in Canada “silent ambassadors” who have woven a tight bond between the two countries.

Looking ahead, he called for leveraging shared memberships in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), especially as Canada has become a strategic partner of ASEAN. He asked Steil, in any future position, to keep contributing to bilateral relations, especially the consideration of the establishment of a Việt Nam– Canada strategic partnership, which will provide a broader and more robust framework to elevate the relationship for the benefit of their peoples and businesses.

He urged continued efforts to facilitate delegation exchanges, dialogue, and cooperation across the Party, State, National Assembly, and people-to-people channels. Priority should be given to high-level visits, as well as collaboration in education - training, science - technology, intellectual property, communications, and even food safety and sanitary and phytosanitary measures, where untapped potential could yield big wins.

Ambassador Steil, reflecting on his tenure, lauded Việt Nam's openness and proactive stance on global challenges, its dynamic socio-economic progress, and growing stature in the international arena.

The Canadian Government always values its relationship with Việt Nam, especially as Ottawa adjusts its strategy in response to global changes, he said, believing that the Indo-Pacific Strategy undertaken by the Canadian Government will pave the way for new initiatives and deeper bilateral cooperation.

Canada will continue to stand by Việt Nam and work together in realising commitments, especially those to climate change response, energy transition, education, and human resources development, added.— VNA/VNS