Ambassador Pham Vinh Quang was speaking to the press ahead of the top leader’s visit at the invitation of Governor General of Canada Louise Arbour as part of his working trip to the United States for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) from September 20-25.

According to the diplomat, the visit will be the first by the top leader of the Communist Party of Vietnam to Canada since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1973. It comes at a time when Vietnam-Canada relations have favourable conditions for broader and more substantive cooperation.

Since the two countries established their Comprehensive Partnership framework in 2017, bilateral relations have developed steadily across a range of areas. Trade and economic cooperation has been a notable area, with Vietnam now Canada’s largest trading partner in ASEAN. Canada also identifies trade and investment, science and technology, and innovation as important areas of cooperation with Vietnam.

In the context of changes in global trade and supply chains, the two countries share strategic interests in promoting rules-based trade, diversifying supply chains and strengthening cooperation at multilateral forums such as the United Nations, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and La Francophonie.

The visit is therefore expected to help translate accumulated cooperation potential into more concrete directions and programmes, creating further space for bilateral relations to grow.

Room for greater trade, investment and supply-chain cooperation

In economic cooperation, Ambassador Pham Vinh Quang said the two sides still have considerable room to expand trade, investment and supply-chain connectivity.

Potential areas include stronger logistics links, customs cooperation and trade facilitation, as well as more effective use of existing trade frameworks, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Stronger cooperation in agriculture, food, consumer goods, processing industries and other key export sectors could help businesses in both countries make better use of market opportunities. Vietnam could also attract more long-term Canadian capital for infrastructure, transport and selected key economic sectors.

The CPTPP is creating additional space for cooperation between the two economies. Vietnam has been a CPTPP member since 2019 and is serving as Chair of the CPTPP Commission in 2026. Both countries are part of the trade framework as its members work to strengthen supply-chain resilience and diversification.

Science, technology and energy open new avenues for cooperation

Beyond trade and investment, the ambassador identified science, technology and innovation as areas with substantial room for further cooperation.

Potential areas include clean technology, smart agriculture, advanced materials, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital transformation. Stronger links among research institutes, universities and businesses in the two countries could help connect science and technology cooperation more closely with development needs and the market.

In energy and critical minerals, the two sides could explore broader cooperation in renewable energy, clean hydrogen, liquefied natural gas and the development of critical-mineral value chains serving high-tech industries.

According to Ambassador Pham Vinh Quang, Canada’s strengths in technology and finance complement Vietnam’s production capacity and market, providing a basis for the two countries to pursue long-term cooperation programmes.

Overall, he expected the State visit to help translate cooperation potential into concrete initiatives and provide fresh impetus for Vietnam-Canada relations to become deeper, more substantive and more effective.

Top leader To Lam to deliver key speech at UN General Assembly during US visit

VOV.VN - General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam will attend the high-level general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, conduct bilateral activities in the United States, and pay a state visit to Canada from September 20 to 25.