General Secretary To Lam’s state visit to Canada elevates Vietnam-Canada relations to a new level
General Secretary and President To Lam held talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa on September 24, 2026, during his state visit to Canada. This visit will contribute to elevates Vietnam-Canada relations.
Prime Minister Mark Carney warmly welcomed General Secretary and President To Lam and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, describing the visit as an important occasion that could create new momentum for bilateral relations and support deeper and more substantive cooperation.
He also highlighted Vietnam’s socio-economic development achievements and growing international role, while affirming that Vietnam is an important partner for Canada in strengthening relations with ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific region.
General Secretary and President To Lam thanked the Canadian Government and people for their warm welcome and expressed his hope to welcome Prime Minister Carney to Vietnam in the near future.
New Strategic Partnership
The two leaders reviewed the development of Vietnam-Canada relations over more than 50 years of diplomatic ties and nearly a decade of cooperation under the Comprehensive Partnership framework.
They noted progress in political relations, economic and trade ties, investment, defence and security, education and training, science and technology, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.
Both sides agreed that bilateral relations have reached the conditions for a new stage of development, marked by stronger political trust, broader cooperation and closer shared interests.
The two leaders therefore agreed to elevate Vietnam-Canada relations to a Strategic Partnership and work toward a concrete agenda and action plan to implement the new framework.
Trade, Investment, Technology and AI
Economic, trade, investment and financial cooperation were identified as important drivers of the new Strategic Partnership.
Canada expressed its intention to facilitate market access for goods, strengthen trade and investment promotion, and encourage Canadian businesses and investment funds to expand their presence in Vietnam.
The two sides also discussed new opportunities in infrastructure and transportation, including the establishment of direct air connections between Vietnam and Canada.
Both sides agreed to make greater use of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and work toward the early conclusion of negotiations for an ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement.
Science and technology, digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies were identified as emerging priorities in bilateral cooperation.
Vietnam proposed stronger collaboration in technology research, development and application, as well as greater sharing of experience in digital transformation, digital government, the digital economy and digital society.
The two countries also agreed to strengthen links among universities, research institutions and businesses, promote joint research and technology transfer, and develop innovation ecosystems.
General Secretary To Lam meets Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
Energy Cooperation
Vietnam and Canada agreed to expand cooperation in energy, including clean energy, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and renewable energy.
The two sides also discussed potential cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
In addition, Vietnam and Canada agreed to strengthen cooperation in healthcare, environmental protection, agriculture, food security, education and training, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
The two countries will seek to make better use of their complementary strengths in agriculture, food production and food trade to support sustainable supply chains.
Vietnamese Community
Vietnam proposed that Canada continue to support favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Canada to stabilise their lives, integrate into society and contribute to Canada’s development.
The Vietnamese community is also expected to continue serving as a bridge of friendship between the two countries.
Defence and Security
The two sides agreed to strengthen defence, security and law-enforcement cooperation based on their respective needs and priorities.
Areas of cooperation include non-traditional security, maritime security, cybersecurity, humanitarian assistance, UN peacekeeping and the prevention and fight against transnational crime.
Both sides also supported efforts to establish a bilateral dialogue mechanism on security and law enforcement.
Prime Minister Carney confirmed Canada’s support for the third Vietnam International Defence Expo and said Canada would send representatives to the event.
He also welcomed Vietnam’s plan to establish a Defence Attaché Office in Canada.
Vietnam’s Party General Secretary and State President To Lam signs the guest book
Global Cooperation
Vietnam and Canada shared a commitment to strengthening dialogue and cooperation, upholding multilateralism, the UN Charter and international law.
The two countries reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Vietnam Sea.
They agreed that disputes should be addressed through peaceful means and in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The two sides also agreed to strengthen coordination at the United Nations, the Francophonie, APEC, CPTPP and ASEAN-led mechanisms.
ASEAN Partnership
Prime Minister Mark Carney reaffirmed Canada’s support for ASEAN centrality and stronger ASEAN-Canada cooperation.
Vietnam welcomed Canada’s support for Vietnam in carrying out international responsibilities, while Canada appreciated Vietnam’s backing for efforts to strengthen ASEAN-Canada relations and advance negotiations for an ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement.
APEC 2027 and Future Cooperation
General Secretary and President To Lam invited Prime Minister Carney to pay an official visit to Vietnam in 2026 and attend the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in 2027.
Prime Minister Carney accepted the invitation and reaffirmed Canada’s readiness to coordinate with Vietnam to contribute to the success of APEC 2027.
The two leaders witnessed the exchange of cooperation documents between agencies of the two countries and announced a Joint Statement on the official elevation of Vietnam-Canada relations to a Strategic Partnership.
Both sides expressed their expectation that the new framework would open a new chapter in bilateral relations, enabling cooperation to develop more extensively, substantively and effectively.
They also highlighted the potential contribution of the strengthened partnership to peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development in the region and beyond.
Source: Vietnam News Agency, published by Tuoi Tre News, September 25, 2026
Economic and trade cooperation continues to be a cornerstone of Vietnam–Canada relations, supported by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Notably, Vietnam has maintained its position as Canada’s largest merchandise trading partner among ASEAN countries since 2015. In 2025, bilateral trade reached approximately US$8.6 billion, an increase of 18.8% year-on-year, with Vietnam exporting US$7.5 billion to Canada and importing US$1.1 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of approximately US$6.4 billion. This positive momentum continued in the first seven months of 2026, with bilateral trade reaching US$5.9 billion, up 24.1% year-on-year.
