Participants join the webinar (Photo: VNA)

Philip Fernandez, a member of the Society, said Vietnam and its people have attracted global attention thanks to the remarkable achievements made in building an independent and autonomous economy.

Vietnam’s prestige in the international arena was demonstrated by it being elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for a second time and it taking on the role of ASEAN Chair in 2020, he went on.

After liberating the south and reunifying the country on April 30, 1975, the Vietnamese people focused on building a democratic socialist country. The decisive factor in achievements made has been the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) as well as the solidarity and consensus of the people with the Party, he said.

Canadian friends truly admire Vietnam’s COVID-19 response, he continued. With a spirit of “fighting the pandemic as if fighting an enemy”, Vietnam has successfully curbed the outbreak and posted no fatalities.

Elizabeth McIninch, Director of the Canada-Vietnam Trade Council, said she was very happy to witness the closer ties between the two countries in recent times.

Vietnam has become a rising star in Southeast Asian, she said, adding that it has worked hard to achieve spectacular economic growth.
It has continued to be one of Canada’s biggest trade partners in Southeast Asia, with two-way trade estimated at 7.8 billion CAD (5.98 billion USD). More than 21,000 Vietnamese students are studying in Canada.

She noted that the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will be a new path forward for Vietnam and Canada to strengthen commitments and cooperation./.