 |
| Students sing the national anthems of Vietnam and Canada at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. (Photo: SGGP) |
On August 21, the Consulate General of Canada in Ho Chi Minh City held a ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Canada.
According to Mr. Behzad Babakhani, Canada's exports to Vietnam increased by nearly 40% in 2022 alone. An estimated 10,000 Canadian citizens live in Vietnam. In Canada, there are about 300,000 Vietnamese Canadians who are contributing greatly to Canada's success in all fields, including entrepreneurs, politicians, scientists and some talented rappers.
Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Vo Van Hoan, on behalf of Ho Chi Minh City leaders, expressed his thanks to generations of Canadian leaders, business community members and individuals for their efforts to create the foundation and the future of Vietnam - Canada relations.
In terms of politics-diplomacy, along with increasing exchange of high-level delegations, the two countries have maintained regular contact on the sidelines of high-level conferences, international and regional multilateral forums. These exchanges and cooperation were further enhanced when in 2017, on the occasion of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to Vietnam, the two countries officially upgraded their relations to a Comprehensive Partnership, a significant milestone for bilateral relations.
According to Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Vo Van Hoan, in that common picture, it can be said that the trade-investment relationship and development cooperation is the most prominent highlight in the relationship between the two countries.
Since 2015, Vietnam has risen to become Canada's largest trading partner in ASEAN. Since 2012, bilateral trade turnover has increased 4 times, from nearly USD2 billion to more than USD7 billion in 2022, equivalent to an increase in two-way trade turnover from 20 to 25% each year.
By the end of 2022, Canada ranked 14th out of 130 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with a total registered capital of USD4.82 billion. Canada is also an attractive destination for Vietnamese investors.
From a local perspective, by the end of 2022, Canada was the 22nd largest investor out of 117 countries and territories investing in Ho Chi Minh City, with an investment of nearly USD130 million. In 2022, two-way trade between Ho Chi Minh City and Canada reached approximately USD633 million.
Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Vo Van Hoan expressed his confidence that the above figures will increase further in the coming time, especially when the two countries effectively exploit the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and related agreements.
In addition, according to Mr. Vo Van Hoan, Canada can provide advanced technology, expertise and products to support the development of Ho Chi Minh City in various areas, especially in terms of infrastructure development, green economy and clean energy. Businesses in Ho Chi Minh City can explore investment opportunities in Canada's technology, natural resources, and tourism./.