Canada25 September, 20262 min read
Tô Lâm Upgrades Canada To Strategic Partnership During State Visit
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Vietnam and Canada upgrade to a strategic partnership during To Lam's state visit. To Lam serves as General Secretary and President, leading a high-level Vietnamese delegation.
Strategic Partnership Upgrade
Vietnamese President Tô Lâm upgraded ties with Canada to a strategic partnership during a state visit that included a tree-planting at Rideau Hall and an address to parliamentarians and members of the diaspora. Prime Minister Mark Carney said, "There will be good news for those who want to travel directly from Canada to Vietnam and back," in a meeting in Carney's West Block office.
Carney said the relationship evolved quickly since a 2017 pact that covered investment, defence and academia, and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said the renewed partnership will involve energy, agriculture, defence co-operation and people-to-people ties. Vina Nadjibulla said the relationship can go to a new level, and she argued that Canada and Vietnam are aligned because they are trying to diversify supply chains and reduce overreliance on the U.S.
Parliamentary Links
General Secretary and President To Lam proposed to make parliamentary cooperation an important pillar of Vietnam-Canada relations during a working session with Canadian Senate President Raymonde Gagné and Canadian House Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia. Raymonde Gagné and Francis Scarpaleggia emphasized that the Canadian Parliament already shows close ties between the two countries, and Francis Scarpaleggia said, "with many MPs actively cultivating Canada-Vietnam friendship."
To Lam and Carney agreed to upgrade Vietnam-Canada relations to a Strategic Partnership, and To Lam proposed that parliamentary cooperation would help consolidate political trust and create a legal basis for implementing high-level agreements. The Canada–Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group said it currently comprises 25 members, senators and members of the House of Commons from various Canadian provinces, and it reaffirmed its commitment to play a liaison role in strengthening understanding, trust, and support for Vietnam–Canada relations.
Trade, Energy, and Air
Carney said, "In the last five years, our trade has more than doubled," as Canada and Vietnam elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership during To Lam's visit. The governments concluded negotiations to broaden their air transport agreement, which would allow direct passenger and cargo flights between Canada and Vietnam, and they signed a memorandum of cooperation on energy that includes liquefied natural gas (LNG), hydrogen, and renewable energies.
Infobae reported that bilateral merchandise trade reached 20.6 billion Canadian dollars in 2025, and it said Vietnam is Canada's main trading partner among ASEAN members. The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada described a people-to-people bridge, saying Canada is home to a community of Vietnamese heritage of approximately 275,000 members, and it argued that improved direct air connectivity should be pursued.