NA officials visit Canada to boost legislative ties, CPTPP approval

• National Assembly adopts seven laws during fifth session
• National Assembly passes three laws on June 12
• Socio-economic issues high on agenda of National Assembly

Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly's Committee for External Affairs Nguyen Van Giau (R) meets with Canadian Senator Yuen Pau Woo in Ottawa

They also had working sessions with Hugh Cheetham – senior advisor at the Department of Justice, and Gary Lee – deputy head of the Trade Negotiations-Asia, Kyle Gervais – senior analyst at the Trade Negotiations-Asia and Joy Vicente – Trade Commissioner at the Southeast Asia of the Department of Global Affairs.

At the sessions, the two sides spoke highly of the friendship between Canada and Vietnam, noting that bilateral relations are developing soundly as seen in various fields and through mutual visits, particularly a trip to Vietnam by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in November 2017 on the occasion of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to Canada and attendance in the G7 Outreach Summit in Charlevoix from June 7 to 10.

Although trade, political, diplomatic and educational ties, development cooperation and people-to-people exchange have been increased in recent years, they still need to be enhanced to match the potential of the countries’ comprehensive partnership established last November, the officials said.

They highlighted cooperation between the two parliaments, which has become more and more fruitful.

Chairman of the Committee for External Affairs Giau thanked Canadian legislators for their contributions to the Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum held in Vietnam last January.

He added legislative ties will help promote the countries’ relations, noting that this cooperation will support state activities as well as the implementation of agreements signed by the two governments.

At the working sessions, the two sides also shared experience and discussed the CPTPP ratification process. They looked into challenges and prospects in the agreement’s implementation, including the settlement of conflicts of interest and support for vulnerable subjects in the CPTPP enforcement.

The Canadian officials promised they will promote the CPTPP ratification whenever conditions and time are suitable.

Yuen Pau Woo said the ratification will be a priority of the Canadian government when the parliament gathers this autumn, expressing his belief that parliamentarians will approve the trade deal.

Dean Allison said the CPTPP will bring many benefits to Canada, allowing the country to access a market with a population of hundreds of millions. Agreeing, Gary Lee affirmed the general support for the CPTPP as this agreement will open a new market in Asia-Pacific, where Canada doesn’t have any free trade agreements.

From June 23 to 25, the Vietnamese delegation met with Deputy Mayor of Toronto Denzil Minnan-Wong to talk the prospects of Toronto’s cooperation with Vietnamese localities, especially in renewable energy, tourism, education and infrastructure.

Canada was the second destination of a tour of Japan and Canada by Vietnamese NA officials to foster parliamentary connections and CPTPP ratification.