Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucarrived in Hanoi on June 11, concluding his trip to Canada to attend the G7Outreach Summit from June 8-10 and for a visit of Canada at the invitation ofhis Canadian counterpart Justine Trudeau. 

The trip has affirmed Vietnam’s proactive efforts and highsense of responsibility for addressing global challenges and created moreimpetus for the Vietnam-Canada bilateral comprehensive partnership.

It was the second time the Vietnamese PM has attended anexpanded G7 summit, with the first time in 2006.

What is different this time is that Vietnam was invited tothe summit as an independent nation, not as representative of an organisationor a group of regional countries, proving that Canada appreciates and wants tofoster ties with Vietnam. It also demonstrated that G7 member states highlyvalue Vietnam’s role, prestige and international stature.

With topics of sustainable development, gender equality,women’s role, and seas and oceans, the summit delivered a message of enhancingregional and global cooperation in protecting sea and ocean ecologicalenvironment.

Along with supporting Canada’s initiatives, Vietnam proposedits own ideas to strengthen global collaboration in the fight against plasticwaste discharge into oceans and gender equality promotion amidst climate changeresponse.

In his speech to the summit, PM Phuc suggested establishingan expanded cooperation mechanism between G7 member states and coastal nationsto respond to climate change, rising seawater and protect marine ecologicalsystem.

He also urged G7 countries to launch a global cooperationmechanism to reduce plastic wastes.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc said initiativesproposed by PM Phuc were welcomed by G7 nations and international organisations,and also marked Vietnam and the PM’s imprint on the important event.

As Vietnam is one of the countries hardest hit by climatechange and rising sea water, the PM affirmed Vietnam’s commitment to joiningglobal efforts to soon realise the Paris Agreement reached at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on ClimateChange (COP21)

On the sidelines of the event, PM Phuc held bilateralmeetings with leaders of many countries and international organisations such asthe PMs of Japan, Norway, Bangladesh, Italy; the Presidents of France, Argentina,Haiti, Senegal, South Africa; the World Bank President, the General Director ofthe International Monetary Fund and the United Nations Secretary General.

During the meetings, the Vietnamese Government leaderdiscussed measures to enhance trust, extend cooperation between Vietnam and thosecountries, especially in economy, trade and investment.

Along with the success of hisparticipation in the G7 Outreach Summit, the visit to Canada by Prime MinisterNguyen Xuan Phuc took place at a time when the two countries are celebratingthe 45th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties and have signed theComprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Less than one year since the official visit toVietnam by Prime Minister Trudeau in November 2017, the two PMs have had thesecond talks on ways to reinforce and strengthen the bilateral relations in allfields.

At the talks, Trudeau affirmed that Vietnam isan important partner of Canada in the region.

He appreciated Vietnam’s contributions to thesuccess of the G7 Outreach Summit, especially the country’s initiatives oncooperation to enhance response capability of coastal communities, supportsustainable development of fishery, and protect ocean environment.

The two PMs agreed to boost ties inpolitics-diplomacy, trade, investment and development, defence security,education, training, labour, science-technology, culture, sports,people-to-people exchanges, and cooperation among localities.

They also exchanged viewpoints on regional andinternational issues of mutual concerns, including the maintenance of security,safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.

They advocated the settlement of any disputes inthe East Sea via peaceful means with full respect for diplomatic and legalprocedures without use or threat to use force, and with respect forinternational law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the EastSea, towards the early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC),while promoting the use of the ocean for peaceful purposes and marineenvironmental protection.

During his trip to Canada, PM Phuc attended abusiness forum to talk to businesses of the two countries about Vietnam’spolicies to attract foreign investment, train workers, and boost bilateraltrade.

He emphasised numerous cooperation opportunitiesfor businesses once the CPTPP comes into force.

“I believe that there would be a boom and a newwave of investment from Canada in Vietnam that brings benefits for the twocountries’ businesses and peoples”, he said.

During his visit, PM Phuc received Premier ofQuebec Philippe Couillard and joined a working lunch with former Prime MinisterJeans Chretien, Governor General Julie Payette, and some leading groups ofVietnam and Canada.

The PM visited Laval University where manyVietnamese students are pursuing education, met with Vietnamese community inCanada and laid wreath at the Nguyen Trai statue in Esplanade Park, which is asymbol of long-standing friendship and sound relations between the two peoples.

With special milestones in both bilateral andmultilateral aspects, the visit to Canada by the Vietnamese PM has created adriving force for the bilateral comprehensive partnership across the field anddemonstrated the responsibilities, commitments and concrete actions of Vietnamin addressing global issues.-VNA