Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Perry Steil (Photo: VNA)

During a reception in Hanoi on Tuesday, PM Chinh expressed his delight at the effective and practical development of bilateral ties, with two-way trade hitting 3.57 billion USD in the first half of this year, up 25.5% annually. Vietnam’s exports to Canada surged 32% to over 3.25 billion USD in the period.

Ahead of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year, the PM suggested the ambassador assist in facilitating all-level visits, especially those at high level, and promote cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, investment, development assistance, post-pandemic recovery, climate change, environmental protection, clean and green growth, and high-quality human resource training.

As the two countries are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), PM Chinh highlighted the need to lift two-way trade, partly by making it easier for Vietnamese goods, especially agro-fisheries, fruits, cashew nuts, coffee, honey and wooden furniture, to enter Canada.

The PM asked the Canadian Government to continue supporting the roughly 240,000 Vietnamese living in the country as well as offer more scholarships to Vietnamese students and graduates to elevate cooperation in human resources and sci-tech.

Ambassador Steil hailed Vietnam as a bright example for countries worldwide to follow in its COVID-19 response.

He pledged to pay attention to stepping up bilateral economic, trade and investment ties via increasing direct goods transportation between the two countries, as well as cooperation in climate change response and delivery of commitments made at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, and promote discussion on issues of shared concern.

On the East Sea issue, both sides underscored the importance of the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, towards reaching a practical, effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea and ensuring freedom, maritime and aviation security and safety in the East Sea.