Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh at the ASEAN-Canada Ministerial Meeting (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – ASEAN and Canada agreed to soon elevate their dialogue relationship to a StrategicPartnership during the ASEAN-Canada Ministerial Meeting held online onSeptember 10 as part of the 53rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM-53).
The foreign ministers highly valued Canada'sactive participation in ASEAN-established and -led mechanisms, especially theASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). Countries acknowledged Canada's wish to participate more deeply in other ASEAN-ledmechanisms such as the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ MeetingPlus (ADMM ).
ASEAN also appreciated Canada's timely support for the region’s fight against COVID-19, with theprovision of medical protective equipmentworth 4.5 million CAD.
Both sides noted the positive progress in theASEAN-Canada dialogue relationship in all fields, especially theeffective implementation of the ASEAN-Canada Action Plan 2016-2020.
Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagneexpressed his support for ASEAN's central role in the dynamically developingregional architecture. He announced a grant of approximately 10 millionCAD for the Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchangesfor Development (SEED) programme.
Speaking at the meeting,Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister PhamBinh Minh spoke highly of Canada’s active and constructive participation inASEAN's efforts for a region of peace, stability and development.
Vietnam welcomes Canada for supporting ASEAN initiatives torespond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund andthe Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies, Minh said, expressed his wish that Canadawill cooperate with and support ASEAN in minimising the COVID-19 impacts in allaspects and in post-pandemic recovery.
Canada is ASEAN's third largest trade partner and one of themajor economies of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-PacificPartnership (CPTPP), he said, adding that Vietnam wants countries to togetheroptimise the potential of the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement in the future.
The Vietnamese representative also appreciated Canada'ssupport for ASEAN’s central role in maintaining and promoting peace, stability,security and safety of navigation, freedom of navigation and aviation in theEast Sea.
At the end of the meeting, theministers agreed to approve the ASEAN-CanadaAction Plan 2021-2025./.
VNA
