This event has marked a historic milestone in Viet Nam-Canada relations, as it is the first-ever visit to Canada by a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam; furthermore, General Secretary and President To Lam is the first state guest hosted by the Governor General of Canada in 2026.
The visit has opened a new phase of development for the Viet Nam-Canada relationship—a bond with a history spanning over 50 years that transcends vast geographical distances.
Taking place at a time when conditions are favourable for Viet Nam-Canada relations to enter a new stage of deeper, more substantive cooperation, the visit by General Secretary and President To Lam has helped translate accumulated opportunities and potential into specific directions and action programmes, delivering tangible benefits to the people of both nations.
This visit demonstrates a strong determination to effectively implement the foreign policy guidelines of the 14th Party Congress, Political Bureau’s Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW on implementing the foreign policy of the 14th Party Congress, and Political Bureau’s Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW on international integration in the new context. It also highlights the pivotal role of head-of-state diplomacy in mobilising resources from positive relationships with partners—including Canada—to foster national development in the new era.
Canada is one of Viet Nam's long-standing friends and trusted partners. The journey of over 50 years since the official establishment of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Canada in 1973 stands as a testament to the enduring vitality of this positive relationship. The Viet Nam-Canada Comprehensive Partnership maintains a stable and substantive development trajectory, grounded in aligned strategic interests and an expanding scope of cooperation. There remains significant potential for the further development of bilateral ties, particularly in the areas of politics and diplomacy, economics and trade, security and defence, science and technology, education and training, and development cooperation.
Viet Nam-Canada trade relations have become a bright spot in bilateral trade cooperation among member countries of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Viet Nam is currently Canada’s leading trade partner in ASEAN and its sixth-largest trade partner among the 40 Indo-Pacific nations.
Canada is Viet Nam’s third-largest export market in the Americas. Canada is prioritising the development of energy, strategic minerals, artificial intelligence (AI), and high-tech agriculture, while Viet Nam is accelerating industrial upgrading and the development of the digital and green economies. This alignment of needs and development goals has created a unique advantage for elevating the bilateral partnership to a higher level.
Canada has continued to maintain Official Development Assistance (ODA) projects for Viet Nam. The total value of Canadian ODA to Viet Nam since 1990 has reached nearly 2 billion USD, focusing primarily on poverty reduction, ensuring the rights of women and girls, agricultural development, support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and food safety.
There are currently approximately 300,000 people of Vietnamese origin living in Canada, making it the fifth-largest non-European community in the country. The standing of the Vietnamese community in Canadian society is steadily rising, with many members becoming successful and renowned scientists, professors, PhDs, and politicians. The Vietnamese community in Canada has maintained a strong sense of national identity and attachment to the homeland, with a desire to invest in and contribute to Viet Nam’s national development.
The two nations have strengthened close coordination in multilateral forums and collaborated across various fields, including disarmament, regional security, international trade, gender equality, and climate change response. As Viet Nam strives to realise its national development goals in this new era, strengthening close and effective ties with international partners—including Canada—has helped build a solid foundation for the country to confidently move forward.
The activities during the State visit to Canada by General Secretary and President To Lam serve to elevate the Viet Nam-Canada relationship to new heights of sustainability and trust, focusing on cooperation in areas such as the economy, trade, science and technology, innovation, energy, and education. At the same time, the visit has conveyed the message that the Party and State deeply care for the overseas Vietnamese community and are committed to leveraging both domestic and overseas resources, thereby implementing the Political Bureau’s Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW regarding overseas Vietnamese affairs.
Holding special significance, the State visit to Canada by General Secretary and President To Lam has underscored the importance both nations attach to the Viet Nam-Canada Comprehensive Partnership. It has opened a new chapter of development, aiming for greater heights and achievements in bilateral relations, and contributed to fostering peace, stability, cooperation, and development worldwide.
