at the deputy foreign ministerial level, which was held via video conference.

Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Canada’s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marta Morgan on Thursdayco-chaired the online 2nd Vietnam-Canada political consultation at the deputy foreign ministerial level.

The two sides highlighted the fruitful development of bilateral relations, especially after they established a Comprehensive Partnership in 2017 and began implementing the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

They agreed to continue maintaining the exchange of delegations at all levels in flexible forms, in which the Canadian side affirmed that it will attend the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and relevant meetings scheduled for July 31 to August 5.

The two sides agreed to further promote their economic, trade, and investment ties and to fully tap opportunities from the trend towards trade diversification and differing supply chains after COVID-19, and in the context of Viet Nam being Canada’s largest trade partner in ASEAN and Canada being Việt Nam’s third-largest trade partner in North America.

The two officials affirmed the continued promotion of cooperation in security and defence, health, education and training, climate change response, clean energy development, and relations between localities in the two countries.

In the context of COVID-19 continuing to be complex and unpredictable, the two sides agreed to enhance the sharing of information and to create favourable conditions for the citizens of each country to return home safely if stranded in the other.

Morgan thanked Viet Nam for arranging a flight to bring stranded Canadians home, saying her country also supported Viet Nam in organising three flights taking Vietnamese citizens home.

For his part, Sơn proposed Canada continue licensing flights bringing Vietnamese citizens home and to provide support to citizens, especially students, who remain in the country.

Regarding multilateral cooperation, Morgan highly valued the role of Viet Nam as ASEAN Chair 2020, expressing the desire to participate more deeply in regional institutions, including the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM+) and the East Asia Summit (EAS).

The two sides pledged to work closely at international and regional forums this year, as Viet Nam assumes both the ASEAN Chairmanship and non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term.

They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including those related to the East Sea. — VNS