Vietnam's Top Leader Receives Highest Welcome in Canada

Governor General Louise Arbour presided over the welcome ceremony for General Secretary and President To Lam during his state visit to Canada. The welcome ceremony took place at the Governor General's residence in the capital, Ottawa, on September 24, with the highest protocol accorded to a head of state. A cavalry escort accompanied the General Secretary and President's vehicle into the Governor General's residence. Mrs. Arbour welcomed General Secretary and President To Lam at the parking area and invited him to step onto the honor podium. In a solemn atmosphere, military music played the Vietnamese national anthem. General Secretary and President To Lam then reviewed the honor guard, according to TTXVN. General Secretary and President To Lam performed the flag-saluting ceremony on September 24. Photo: TTXVN Governor General of Canada Louise Arbour emphasized that although Canada and Vietnam are separated by an ocean, they are connected by a sustainable friendship nurtured over generations. The two countries are linked by a shared commitment towards a stable, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. This friendship is also clearly demonstrated through the Vietnamese community in Canada. General Secretary and President To Lam expressed his hope that the visit will open a new chapter in bilateral relations, reflecting a new height of political trust, increasingly deep connection of interests and vision, as well as the determination of both countries to jointly build a long-term, stable, and substantive relationship, becoming a model of cooperation between two nations on both sides of the Pacific. General Secretary and President To Lam reviewed the honor guard during the welcome ceremony. Photo: TTXVN Vietnam and Canada established diplomatic relations in 1973 and upgraded them to a Comprehensive Partnership in November 2017. In 2025, the two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Canada reached $8.6 billion. In the first six months of 2026, the two-way trade turnover reached $4.92 billion, an increase of 27.3% compared to the same period last year. Vietnam is currently Canada's leading trading partner in ASEAN and its sixth-largest trading partner among the 40 countries in the Indo-Pacific. Canada is the third-largest export partner in the Americas and Vietnam's seventh-largest export market. Vietnamese international students in Canada have increased from 14,000 in 2017 to over 20,000 currently, the highest growth rate among ASEAN countries. Currently, there are about 300,000 people of Vietnamese origin living in Canada, ranking fifth among non-European origin communities, concentrated in four provinces: Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta. General Secretary and President To Lam and Governor General of Canada Louise Arbour. Photo: TTXVN Phuong Vu