Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand (fourth from left) poses for a group photo with ASEAN ambassadors to Canada in the ASEAN Committee in Ottawa. VNA/VNS Photo

OTTAWA - Amid geopolitical and international trade uncertainties, ASEAN and Canada are expanding cooperation under their Strategic Partnership, with a focus on trade, market diversification, technology and clean energy, and Việt Nam is seen as well-positioned to play a positive role.

That push took centre stage at an Ottawa ceremony marking ASEAN’s 59th anniversary, drawing Canadian Government, parliamentary and ASEAN officials, business leaders, scholars and community members.

Speaking at the event, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand affirmed that ASEAN holds a central place in Ottawa’s vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. The Indonesian Ambassador, who chairs the ASEAN Committee in Ottawa, stressed that dialogue, consensus and confidence building remain the foundations for expanding cooperation.

Canada became an ASEAN Dialogue Partner in 1977, and the two sides upgraded ties to a Strategic Partnership in 2023. Now, a 2026-2030 action plan for that partnership and negotiations on an ASEAN-Canada free trade agreement are injecting new momentum into deeper ties.

Cooperation with ASEAN member states is increasingly vital as Canada seeks to diversify its economic links and reduce dependence on traditional markets.

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reporters in Canada, Senator Clément Gignac, Co-chair of the Canada-ASEAN Parliamentary Friendship Group, said ASEAN is highly important to Canada and plays a standout role in the country’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Gignac noted that as a bloc, ASEAN is now Canada’s fourth largest trade partner. The two sides share common values and a rules-based approach, and in today’s global landscape, building ties with reliable partners like ASEAN is especially critical for Canada.

Within Canada-ASEAN relations, Vietnam is taking on a growing role. It is now Canada’s largest trade partner in ASEAN, and both are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). As bilateral ties grow, Việt Nam could serve as a bridge to help Canada expand its access to and cooperation with Southeast Asia.

Former Canadian Senator Victor Oh told the VNA that there is ample room to cement iệt Nam -Canada ties, especially in areas of Canada’s growing demand. He said the two countries could step up coordination in electric vehicles, clean energy and information technology.

Oh noted that Việt Nam is making rapid tech strides and has become one of Canada’s most important trade partners in ASEAN. He urged the two countries to keep fostering ties and leverage the large Vietnamese community in Canada to boost business, technology and people-to-people exchanges.

On the outlook, Gignac called Việt Nam an important partner, highlighting opportunities to diversify cooperation from trade and education to Francophone work. He said the future of Canada-Việt Nam ties is highly promising, and strengthening that relationship would not only unlock bilateral gains but also help Canada expand connectivity with other ASEAN nations.

As ASEAN and Canada look toward the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year, they see a chance to turn Strategic Partnership commitments into concrete action. In that process, increasingly substantive Việt Nam-Canada ties could become a vital link, driving stronger connectivity between Canada and Southeast Asia, he added. VNA/VNS