Governor General of Canada Julie Payette stated that Vietnam is an important partner of Canada in the region and that Canada supports and wants to reinforce friendship and long-term cooperation with Vietnam.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc shakes hands with Governor General of Canada Julie Payette

She made the statement at her meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, on June 8 (Canada time).

PM Phuc is in Canada for the Group of Seven (G7) Outreach Summit and visit to Canada from June 8 – 10 at the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

At the meeting, PM Phuc expressed his appreciation toward the Canadian invitation and hospitality toward his delegation.

He stated Vietnam welcomes the summit’s theme on climate change and oceans and will make efforts in contribution to the success of the event. 

Highlighting the traditional ties between Vietnam and Canada, he affirmed that Vietnam treasures and wants to enhance its comprehensive partnership with Canada for mutual benefit, as well as for peace, stability, cooperation and development in their regions and in the world.

Welcoming the Vietnamese delegation, Julie Payette praised the meaning of the Vietnamese PM’s visit to her country, particularly on the context of the two countries celebrating the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

Reiterating Vietnam’s consistent policy of active engagement in the Francophone community, PM Phuc asked Canada to help foster the Francophone movement in Vietnam via its granting of scholarships for Vietnamese students and assisting French  teaching in the country.

He suggested Canada back Vietnam’s participation in projects on climate change response, economics, and education within the framework of the International Francophone Organisation.

PM Phuc underlined that along with accelerating economic-trade partnership, cultur- tourism collaboration and people-to-people exchange also played an important role in fostering bilateral ties. He proposed thay Canada creates optimal conditions for the Vietnamese community in Canada.

The Canadian Governor General spoke highly of Vietnam' socio-economic achievements as well as the country's active engagement in the Francophone community.

She affirmed that Canada will continue creating favourable conditions for the expansion of cooperation and academic exchange through the formation of partnership relations and student exchange programmes among educational establishments of the two countries.

She also pledged to support Vietnam’s efforts in responding to climate change.

Payette spoke highly of the role and contributions of the Vietnamese community in Canada, especially Vietnamese students.

The two sides agreed that comprehensive partnership between the two countries is a framework for them in further fostering cooperation, concurring that in the coming time, Vietnam and Canada should continue rolling out specific measures to make bilateral ties deeper, more practical and effective.

The two countries should also coordinate closely at international and regional forums such as the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC), and Francophone, they said.

The two leaders also shared their viewpoints on various regional and international issues of shared concern, including the East Sea matters. They supported the ensuring of maritime and aviation security, safety and freedom, and the settlement of disputes on the basis of international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982), as well as diplomatic and legal processes without using or threatening to use force. They also backed the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the early finalisation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

On the occasion, PM Phuc invited Governor General Payette to visit Vietnam, and received her acceptance.

PM has working lunch with Canadian former PM, Governor General

Overview of the meeting between Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and former Prime Minister Jeans Chretien and Governor General Julie Payette of Canada sought to deepen the Vietnam-Canada comprehensive partnership during a working lunch in Quebec on June 8 (Canada time).

At the function, which was also participated by leaders of some leading Canadian and Vietnamese enterprises in banking, aviation, agriculture, manufacturing and digital technology, PM Phuc affirmed that Vietnam always pays great attention to developing relations with Canada.

He showed his delight at the growth of bilateral ties, with expanded cooperation in trade and investment.

He stated that the Government of Vietnam has created favourable conditions for Canadian and Vietnamese firms to strengthen their partnership.

Leaders of Canadian businesses lauded the rapid economic growth of Vietnam as having created abundant opportunities for investors. They showed their interest in a number of promising areas in Vietnam, including infrastructure, manufacturing, and agricultural product processing.

Canadian Governor General Julie Payette showed her respect to PM Phuc by joining in the working lunch with him right after hosting a reception for the Vietnamese leader.

She said she hopes to make more contributions to the development of the Canada-Vietnam partnership and link leading enterprises of Canada and their Vietnamese peers, so to bring benefits to people of both countries.

Former PM Chretien held that Canada and Vietnam shared high potential in fostering collaboration, and hoped the two governments  back enterprises to strengthen cooperation and seek investment and business opportunities in each other’s country.

Later the same day, PM Phuc had a meeting with Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), during which he lauded the role of the OECD in supporting and giving consultations to Vietnam in socio-economic development and fulfilling its tasks as the Chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Year in 2017.

He reiterated the Government’s strong determination to undertaking reforms, asking for assistance from the OECD in policy consultation and experience sharing in key areas, thus helping Vietnam effectively build and implement socio-economic development strategies.

For his part, Gurria congratulated Vietnam on successfully completing its role as the host of the APEC 2017 and thanked the country for closely coordinating with the OECD over the past years.

He also welcomed drastic measures that PM Phuc has applied to build a facilitating Government, improve competition law, and develop urban  sustainably.

The OECD Secretary-General said that the organization has kept a close watch on the Vietnamese Government’s reform efforts, pledging that the OECD will accompany the Vietnamese Government and support the country in the renovation and development process.

He also committed to working closely with Vietnam in building the competition law and tax policies, urban development, business management, and small-and-medium sized enterprises development, thus helping the country enhance economic productivity and competitiveness.

Gurria voiced support and welcome to Vietnam’s hosting of the World Economic Forum on ASEAN in September this year, vowing that the OECD will actively engage in the event.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is in Quebec for the Group of Seven (G7) Outreach Summit and visit to Canada from June 8 – 10 at the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

PM introduces investment opportunities to Canadian firms

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the Vietnam-Canada business forum in Quebec on June 8 (Canada time) 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc introduced to Canadian businesses the dynamic Vietnamese economy with improved investment and business environment and abundant opportunities for foreign investors while addressing the Vietnam-Canada business forum in Quebec on June 8 (Canada time) as part of his ongoing visit to Canada. 

Vietnam has recorded high economic growth, with import-export revenue reaching 425 billion USD, foreign investment hitting 37 billion USD in 2017, he noted. 

The Vietnamese leader said that foreign investors in Vietnam have satisfied with the investment efficiency in the country, especially the opening of the economy with the engagement in various free trade agreements. 

In March this year, Vietnam and Canada signed and are undertaking procedures for the ratification of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Under the deal, Vietnam commits to removing nearly 100 percent of taxes, which means many Canadian goods will enjoy tax reduction and exemption in Vietnam. 

The PM added that Vietnam is restructuring State-owned enterprises, including those in important areas such as aviation, power, oil and gas, telecommunications, and transport infrastructure. This is a good opportunity for foreign investors, including those from Canada and Quebec city to buy shares and become strategic shareholders. 

He cited a multinational solar power plant with a capacity of 168 MW and an investment of 150 million USD that has been launched recently in Ninh Thuan province as an example of potential for cooperation between Vietnam and Canada. 

He affirmed that Vietnam considers Canada as an important partner in the American continent, holding that the two economies can suplement each other without competition. Particularly, Vietnam has a strong agriculture sector and many industrial products, he said. 

He said that the current trade revenue between the two countries at 6 billion USD and Canada's investment of 3.5 billion USD have yet to show the capacity of Canadian investors in Vietnam. He stressed that the two sides should work harder together to improve the figures in the coming time. 

At the forum, PM Phuc also directly answered questions of Canadian investors. 

He underscored that Vietnam always highly values foreign investment, and has protected the interest of foreign investors. 

Vietnam is calling for more quality investment, especially in high added value products in global chains and environmentally -friendly ones, focusing on areas of infrastructure, renewable energy and high-tech agriculture. 

The PM said that Vietnam has a golden population with 60 percent of labor force being young labourers. Each year, the country exports a large number of labourers trained in foreign languages. As a member of the Francophone, along with English, Vietnam has strengthened French language teaching with an aim to create high quality human resources serving socio-economic development in the future, he stated. 

At the event, Quebec Mayor Regis Labeaume highlighted strenths of the city in electronics, energy, environment, materials, financial services, science and startup. 

Meanwhile, Vice Governor of Canada's central bank Vincent Joli-Coeur spoke highly of reform of Vietnam over the past 30 years, while giving optimistic comments on the economic outlook and investment opportunities in Vietnam. 

He said that among countries that the bank has presented in, Vietnam ranks first in terms of the opening for foreign investors, adding that Vietnam has met criteria in both infrastructure and business ethics.

PM enjoys smart technological show in Canada’s university

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and officials attend a smart technological show at Laval International University on June 8 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc enjoyed a smart technological show at Laval International University – the oldest in Canada and North America, in Quebec state, Canada on June 8, the first event in the PM’s working programme in Canada. 

Canadian scientists and firms demonstrated several outstanding products in the fourth industrial revolution such as smart materials, 5G technology and application for smart cities, Internet-of-Things, artificial intelligence and robots. 

Speaking at the event, PM Phuc expressed his delight that generations of Vietnamese students trained at the university are now professors and experts in scientific research organisations, contributing to Vietnam’s development and serving as a bridge between Vietnam and Canada. 

Vietnam highly values Canada’s active support in priority fields of bilateral sci-tech cooperation such as development policy, energy, health care and environment, he said 

He expressed hope that the two countries will continue strengthening cooperation in fields of shared concern. On the basis of the development of the bilateral comprehensive partnership, the PM wished that Canadian research organisations and Laval University in particular would devise more specific cooperation initiatives in scientific research and innovation. 

As one of the top 10 universities in Canada, Laval university now has 18 projects on education-training and scientific research with Vietnamese educational establishments and enterprises.

The show was co-organised by the Laval University, the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Quebec state administration.

VNA