On August 21, 1973, shortly after the Vietnam War ended, Canada and Vietnam established diplomatic ties. Since then, the two nations have established a solid and mutually beneficial relationship founded on a common commitment to democracy, human rights, and sustainable development.
On August 21, 2023, exactly 50 years later, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, in partnership with the Consulate General of Canada in Ho Chi Minh City organized a networking reception with the presence of
Ms. Nguyen Minh Hang - Assistant Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Mr. Vo Van Hoan - Vice Chairman, People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City,
Mr. Nguyen Nhu Hieu - Director General, Department for Local Diplomacy Facilitation of Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Mr. Behzad Babakhani - Consul General, Consulate General of Canada in Ho Chi Minh City
Mr. Mike Hebert - President, Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam
Mr. Zach Herbers - Executive Director, Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam
as well as 500 distinguished guests from government partners, CanCham's Board of Directors, Canadian and Vietnamese businesses representatives, families and friends.
Starting off the 50th Anniversary, Mr. Behzad Babakhani - Consul General of the Consulate General of Canada in Ho Chi Minh City made his speech reminiscing the past 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
"Vietnam is our largest trading partner in ASEAN. We are among top 10 export destinations for Vietnam – buying about $11 B dollars a year of Vietnamese products.
We have a very vibrant Canadian community in Vietnam, including a very active Canadian Chamber of Commerce and an estimated 10,000 Canadian residents.
And in Canada, there are about 300,000 Canadians of Vietnamese origin who contribute enormously to Canada’s success in every field – including businesspersons, politicians, scientists and academics and even a few talented rappers! And thousands more Vietnamese students and tourists visit Canada every year."
stated Mr. Behzad Babakhani - Consul General, Consulate General of Canada in Ho Chi Minh City
For the past 50 years, Canada and Vietnam have worked together in a variety of fields, including as commerce and investment, development cooperation, education, culture, and tourism. Among the significant turning points in the relationship is the 2017 launch of the Canada-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership, which offers a framework for collaboration in all areas of shared interest.
Canada and Vietnam signed a free trade agreement in 2015, which increased commerce and investment between the two nations.
"Since 2015, Vietnam has risen to become Canada's largest trading partner in ASEAN. Within 10 years, from 2012, bilateral trade turnover has increased 4 times, from nearly 2 billion USD to more than 7 billion USD in 2022 - equivalent to an increase in two-way trade turnover from 20-25% 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 4.82 billion USD. Canada is also an attractive destination for Vietnamese investors as well.
From a local perspective, Canada is currently the 22nd largest investor out of 117 countries and territories investing in the City, with an investment of nearly $130 million. In 2022, two-way trade between Ho Chi Minh City and Canada will reach approximately 633 million USD."
Noted by Mr. Vo Van Hoan - Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee during his opening speech at the reception.
During the opening ceremony, Mr. Mike Hebert - President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam also shared a few words on this historic moment.
"As we look forward to the next 50 years, our focus is fixed on the horizon of possibilities. The Indo-Pacific Strategy underscores Canada's commitment to investing in this region, a commitment that resonates deeply with us. I'm thrilled to announce that we're taking our involvement a step further, as we proudly sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam. This MOU symbolizes our shared dedication to enhancing commercial activity, fostering cultural exchange, and extending unwavering support to our member companies navigating the Vietnamese landscape."
Ms. Nguyen Minh Hang - Assistant Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs also shared a speech as representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam
"In spite of the vast geographical distance, thanks to the will and trust spanning over the past 50 years, the relations between Viet Nam and Canada have been thriving across various areas.
Our bilateral ties have been nurtured by generations of leaders, especially through reciprocal visits and frequent contacts. Notable instances include the visit to Viet Nam by Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in 1994 to inaugurate the Canadian Embassy in Ha Noi, the visit to Canada by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in 2005, the historic first-ever state visit to Viet Nam by Governor General David Johnston in 2011, and most recently, the visits to Viet Nam by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in November 2017 and to Canada by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in June 2018."
In celebration of this historic event, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (CanCham) and the Department For Local Diplomacy Facilitation (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam) had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation (MOU) to further tighten the existing cooperative relationship and concretize common concerns.
The reception also presented Canadian provincial delicacies from British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Newfoundland, Labrador, Quebec, Ontario etc. as well as indigenous arts from Canada and a showcase video of the "Inukshuk" - a gift monument from Canada for the people of Ho Chi Minh City constructed at the Saigon Zoo & Botanical Garden. The artist making the Inukshuk, Mr. Koomuatuk Curley, brought a small stone all the way from his hometown Dorset Island, Nunavut, Canada - nearly 12,000 km away to Vietnam to install in the Inukshuk.
One of the main highlights of the opening ceremony also included an artistic performance from the team of A O Show featuring Canadian and Vietnamese symbolic sceneries and landmarks.
For more photos of the event, please see here.
The networking reception would not have been success without the trust and support from our sponsors and partners!
Special thanks to:
Title Sponsor - Sun Life Vietnam
Platinum Sponsors - CIS Lao Cai, Hung Thinh Group, Vinfast
Gold Sponsors - Air Canada, CN, Dan On Foods, FPT Software, GeoComply, Logistik, Natural World Trading, SMART Technologies, St. John's Packaging
Silver Sponsors - Appleby College, Beesnext/FIE Consulting, CPKC, Manulife, Pham Nguyen Confectionery, Pharmascience, TMA Solutions, University of Regina, VinaCapital.
Government Partners - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), British Columbia, Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA), Nova Scotia, Ontario.
In-kind Sponsors - BSdeli, Canadian Beef, Canada Vita, Centennial College, Coca Cola, Central Retail Vietnam, Canadian International School (CIS), Do Gia Seafood, Eva Air, Family Medical Practice Vietnam (FMP), Niagara College Canada, Nature Rider Store, Royal Seafood, TTC, Trung Minh Thanh (TMT), ViOT Group.
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