Attending the event were Vice Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Vo Van Hoan and President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (CamCham), Mike Hebert.
Consul General of Canada in HCMC Annie Dube said that Canada and Vietnam celebrated the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries (August 21, 1973 – 2023) last year. Two-way trade turnover has continued to develop, achieving a turnover of more than US$13 billion. Vietnam has maintained its position as Canada's largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Consul General of Canada in HCMC expressed special appreciation for those who have outstanding contributions to building a meaningful connection between Canada and Vietnam, including 275,000 Canadian Vietnamese people, 16,000 Vietnamese students studying in Canada, hundreds of Canadian and Vietnamese businesses, and around 10,000 Canadians living in Vietnam.
On behalf of the leadership of HCMC, Vice Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Vo Van Hoan extended congratulations to the Consulate General of Canada in HCMC, the leadership and members of CamCham, and Canadian citizens living and working in the city.
He affirmed that since Vietnam and Canada established diplomatic relations on August 21, 1973, the relationship between the two countries has continuously strengthened. It has been also increasingly substantive and effective since the Vietnam-Canada comprehensive partnership was established in November 2017 on the occasion of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s official visit to Vietnam.
Canada is currently Vietnam's second-largest partner in the Americas. Vietnam is not only Canada’s biggest trading partner in ASEAN but also Canada's sixth-largest trading partner among 40 countries and economies in the Indian Ocean-Pacific region.
By the end of 2022, Canada ranked 14th out of 130 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with nearly 250 projects worth a total registered capital of nearly US$5 billion.
In addition, cooperation between HCMC and Canada has been strongly promoted. Canada was the 22nd largest investor out of 117 countries and territories investing in the city with 119 projects worth a total of nearly US$130 million. In 2023, two-way trade between the southern metropolis and Canada reached approximately US$520 million. Besides economic and trade activities, many cultural, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges have been organized.
On this occasion, Mr. Vo Van Hoan extended his sincere thanks to Canadian partners for their support in implementing cooperative activities between HCMC and Canadian localities.
