THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JUSTIN TRUDEAU (Prime Minister of Canada): Good afternoon, everyone.
Thank you for being here. Hello everyone. Thank you for being her with
us today. It’s a pleasure to be here in Vietnam on my first official visit, and I
would like to start by again extending my condolences to the Vietnamese people on the
part of all Canadians for Typhoon Damrey that struck just a few days ago.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)
Prime Minister Phúc and I just
finished a great bilateral meeting. It’s been a long time, too long since a
Canadian prime minister made an official visit to Vietnam and I'm honoured to be able to
visit your beautiful country, although it is not my first visit as I told you again
earlier. I was here in 1995 on a backpacking trip with some friends and it’s wonderful
to see how much has changed and how much has not changed.
The welcome is just as warm as it was back then.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)
Today of course is not my first meeting with the Prime Minister
but it was my first opportunity to really dig in and have an in-depth conversation and
I’m very pleased with the results of today’s talk.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)
Canada and Vietnam have been friends
for many years, as far back as the early 1970s when diplomatic ties
were established by my father.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)
And since then, our two countries have worked together to advance our
shared objectives, whether through international development assistance,
greater economic cooperation or strengthening trade.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)
That tradition continued today when Prime Minister Phúc and I officially
entered into a joint partnership agreement.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)
For decades our two countries have worked together to advance
our shared goals, whether through international development support,
greater economic cooperation or expanded trade.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)
That tradition continued today when Prime Minister Phúc and
I formalized a joint partnership agreement.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)
It’s a framework that will allow us to strengthen cooperation
between Canada and Vietnam. It will allow us to continue to work closely on vital issues
like trade and security, things that are essential to growing our economies and creating more
jobs and more opportunities for our citizens.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)
The agreement will also help to advance our ongoing dialogue
on the promotion and protection of human rights. That’s something that matters a great deal
to Canadians and that’s why my first activity today was to meet with civil society leaders
where we had a good discussion about women’s issues, issues facing the LGBTQ2 community
and issues around freedom of expression and freedom of information.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)
In addition to advancing shared economic and human rights interests the
Joint Partnership Agreement will encourage greater people to people connections between
our two countries through expanded cultural and academic exchanges.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)
Those personal connections are already very strong with nearly a quarter
of a million people of Vietnamese descent now living in Canada, and
I’m looking forward to further strengthening those ties in the years to come.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)
Canada and Vietnam understand that
it is by working together that we can create opportunity and prosperity
for our people as well as a safer, more secure world for all.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)
Thank you again, Prime Minister Phúc, and the people of Vietnam for your warm
welcome, your partnership and your friendship.
INTERPRETER: (Speaks in Vietnamese)