Vietnam Eyes Early Upgrade of Comprehensive Partnership with Canada

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son stated that Vietnam is ready to work with Canada towards an early upgrade of their Comprehensive Partnership. He affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to its Comprehensive Partnership with Canada. Son welcomed Canada’s strategic orientations towards the Indo-Pacific, including its support for the centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its recognition of Vietnam’s role as a gateway for trade with the region. This suggests an international acknowledgment of Vietnam's strategic position. Vietnam actively promotes enhanced ties with Canada, with past statements from leaders of both countries indicating a mutual desire to elevate bilateral relations. Furthermore, the Canada-Vietnam Society's decade-long efforts in promoting people-to-people exchanges have also served as a foundation for deepening relations. Under its one-party system, Vietnam prioritizes foreign policy that ensures national stability and economic growth. Strengthening ties with Canada is strategically significant for Vietnam in diversifying its relationships with Western countries and securing markets and investments for economic expansion. Particularly amidst complex relations with China, cooperation with Western nations like Canada broadens Vietnam's diplomatic options.