ASEAN Day in Canada looks toward 50 years of bilateral relations
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
ASEAN ambassadors pose for a group photo with representatives of the Canadian Government and Parliament. (Photo: VNA)
Ottawa (VNA) ꩵ– The Vietnamese Embassy in Canada, as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Ottawa, hosted a ceremony marking ASEAN Day to celebrate the 58th founding anniversary of the bloc (August 8, 1967 – 2025), the 30th anniversary of Vietnam’s ASEAN membership, and the 48th anniversary of ASEAN–Canada relations.
The event was an opportunity to reflect on nearly six decades of ASEAN’s growth and recognise Vietnam’s contributions over the past 30 years.
Former Canadian Senator Victor Oh praised Vietnam as a dynamic country with strong manufacturing and robust economic growth, playing a vital role in advancing economic ties.
He noted with particular admiration that Vietnam’s exports to North America surpass those of any other ASEAN member, urging Canada to seize this opportunity to deepen connections.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada Pham Vinh Quang affirmed that ASEAN has always been a top priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy and economic development strategy. He stressed that Vietnam’s success is closely linked to ASEAN – a 700-million-strong market and the world’s fifth-largest economy, with a combined GDP approaching 4 trillion USD.
Over the decades, ASEAN has proven itself a driving force for regional stability and a hub for both regional and global integration. ASEAN–Canada relations have grown steadily for more than 40 years, reaching a milestone in 2023 when the partnership was elevated to a Strategic Partnership, in line with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.
Canadian Minister of State for International Trade Yasir Naqvi highlighted the growing strength of Canada-ASEAN ties, particularly in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and social engagement.
He revealed that the two sides are negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) to create mutual opportunities and shared prosperity. With bilateral trade nearing 40 billion USD, ASEAN is now Canada’s fourth-largest trading partner, aligning with Canada’s policy of diversifying and multilateralising trade relations.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
In its role as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Canada, Vietnam will work closely with other member state embassies to carry out substantive activities, strengthen the bloc’s image, and deepen the ASEAN–Canada Strategic Partnership./.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
Ambassadors, Consuls General, along with staff and their families, joined traditional sports and cultural activities of Southeast Asia and performances bearing regional identity, thus contributing to strengthening unity and the ASEAN community spirit in New York.
The ASEAN New Delhi Committee (ANDC) recently witnessed a vibrant display of solidarity and camaraderie as the Embassy of Indonesia, serving as the rotating Chair of ANDC, hosted the ANDC Sports and Family Day at its headquarters in New Delhi.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
