Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has already stamped his mark on an official visit.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau signed a comprehensive partnership agreement at a press briefing held in Hanoi on Wednesday, marking a milestone in Vietnam’s partnership with the G7 member.
The two leaders, who met previously at the G7 Summit in Japan in May last year, agreed to enhance cooperation for economic development and peace in the region.
Phuc expressed his support for Canada’s engagement in Asia, while Trudeau said his government will not be too hasty before making a decision on the in-the-balance Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.
The fate of the trade deal has been left hanging after the Trump administration withdrew the U.S. from the pact at the start of the year.
Trudeau said Canada is willing to develop trade relations but will not rush to push the TPP forward.
He said his government will study the agreement to ensure it benefits the Canadian people.
Trudeau, 45, arrived in Hanoi on Wednesday morning for his first official visit to Vietnam, which will include a trip to Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday.
He will join the APEC Summit on Friday in Da Nang, when U.S. President Donald Trump, Japan’s Shinzo Abe and China’s Xi Jinping are expected to speak at the CEO Summit. The Leaders’ Meeting, the most important event of the summit, will be held on Saturday, gathering leaders from the 21 APEC economies.
Trudeau first visited Vietnam as a traveler in 1995. He is the second Canadian prime minister to visit Vietnam since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1973.
Three agreements worth $60 million are expected to be signed during his visit.
Vietnam is Canada’s biggest trade partner in Southeast Asia. Two-way trade has been increasing steadily between the two counties, reaching $2.34 billion in the first eight months of 2017, a 20 percent increase from the same period last year.
Source: Staff reporters