Son expressed his delight at the positive development ofthe comprehensive partnership, adding that senior leaders of the two countries have flexibly maintained contact via letters and phone talks, and most recently the two Prime Ministers met on the sidelines of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). Bilateral trade revenue exceeded 6 billion USD lastyear, up 19 percent year-on-year, he said.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on establishing ajoint economic committee (JEC) was signed last January, Son continued.
The two countries have also stepped up educationalcooperation, with the signing of an MoU on boosting educationalcooperation and exchange between the Vietnamese Ministry of Education andTraining and authorities of the Canadian westernmost province of BritishColumbia in November 2021.
As the two countries are working towards the celebrationof the 5th anniversary of the comprehensive partnership (2017-2022)and the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties (1973-2023),Son suggested promoting high-level visits, soon restoring bilateral dialoguemechanisms and better utilising economic cooperation opportunities through theComprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
He called on Canada to further support Vietnam, openits doors to Vietnamese goods and farm produce, particularly seasonal fruitsand aquatic products, and enhance collaboration in climate change response,digital transformation, green finance, green and sustainable growth, personneltraining, and regional and international issues.
The minister also asked for Canada’s early recognitionof Vietnam’s vaccine passports, more support to Vietnamese people andbusinesses in the country and assistance to Vietnamese students returning to Canada for study after the COVID-19 pandemic is controlled.
For her part, Joly stated that Canada attachesimportance to relations with Vietnam in its foreign policy in the region,and thanked the support of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the past time.
She pledged to closely coordinate with the ministry tobuild and implement practical measures, towards the celebration of theabove-said events.
The two ministers also exchanged views on regional and internationalmatters. For the Ukraine issue, Son reiterated Vietnam’s consistent stance thatinternational disputes and differences should be addressed via peaceful measuresin line with basic principles of the United Nations Charter and internationallaw, especially those on respecting independence, sovereignty and territorialintegrity of countries, and ensuring safety for civilians, including Vietnamesein Ukraine, to evacuate from battle zones.
Regarding the East Sea issue, they emphasised the significanceof observing international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention onthe Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The ministers consented to continue close cooperation atregional and international multilateral forums such as the UN, the Asia-PacificEconomic Cooperation (APEC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Francophone community./.