Canada is hosting Vietnamese President Tô Lâm for a state visit, marking a significant diplomatic gesture aimed at deepening bilateral relations. The visit includes formal ceremonies like military honors and a state dinner. Experts suggest that the relationship between Canada and Vietnam, already bolstered by $20.6 billion in two-way trade in 2025, could be further strengthened through expanded economic ties, particularly in advanced manufacturing, technology, and AI. Additionally, given Vietnam's need for energy resources to support its rapidly growing economy, there is potential for increased cooperation in this sector as well.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-24,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Vietnamese President Tô Lâm, also the first general secretary of Vietnam's Communist Party, began a one-day state visit to Canada in early 2026, marking the country's most significant diplomatic gesture towards Vietnam. The visit aims to deepen bilateral ties amid growing trade relations; two-way trade between Canada and Vietnam reached over $20 billion by 2025. During his stay, Tô Lâm met with Governor General Louise Arbour and Prime Minister Mark Carney, planting a tree at Rideau Hall and addressing parliamentarians.
Experts suggest the visit is crucial for both countries as middle powers seeking to diversify partnerships and build resilience against global coercion from nations like China and the United States. The state visit culminated in an upgrade of their relationship to a strategic partnership, emphasizing long-term cooperative goals beyond economic trade, such as defense and academic collaboration. Prime Minister Carney hinted at potential direct commercial flights between Canada and Vietnam, further enhancing travel convenience for both nations' citizens.
Written for “Vietnam Canada Relations Upgrade” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why Canada's rolling out the red carpet for Vietnamese President Tô Lâm
In state visit, middle powers likely to deepen trade, energy, say experts
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experts → roll → trade
From a welcoming ceremony with military honours to a lavish state dinner — as far as diplomatic events go, a state visit is as formal as it gets: the ultimate symbol of friendly bilateral relations.
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it → welcome → relations
Today, Canada will be greeting Vietnamese Leader Tô Lâm with such a warm gesture.
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Canada → greet → gesture
Lâm — who serves both as the president and the first general secretary of Vietnam's Communist Party — will be welcomed by Governor General Louise Arbour and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in a moment that could be a turning point for Canada-Vietnam relations.
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that → serve → relations
The Southeast Asian country is a major trading partner, reaching $20.6 billion in two-way trade 2025.
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country → reach → trade
But it also has a checkered human rights record and keeps in good standing with adversaries like Russia and North Korea.
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it → have → Russia
So why has Canada chosen its leader for its first state visit of 2026?
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CBC News spoke with several experts ahead of the occasion on what Canada stands to gain from closer ties to Vietnam.
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Canada → speak → Vietnam
In some ways, Canada and Vietnam have much in common: Both countries are middle powers, sharing a border with juggernauts (the U.S. and China, respectively).
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countries → have → juggernauts
Both nations have also been steadily increasing their bilateral trade in recent years — Vietnam is now Canada's largest trading partner in Southeast Asia.
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Vietnam → increase → Asia
"Canada and Vietnam have had a comprehensive partnership since 2017," said Julie Nguyen, chair of the Canada-ASEAN Initiatives at the York Centre for Asian Research, referencing industries like trade, defence, science and diplomacy.
"
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Nguyen → have → trade
It is time for the two countries to elevate their partnership to the next level in order to ensure economic resiliency, security.
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countries → elevate → security
Vietnam is racing to become a high-income country by 2045.
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Vietnam → race → 2045
In order to reach that goal, it will have to move into advanced manufacturing, science, technology and AI development, Nguyen says.
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Nguyen → reach → manufacturing
"All of these products and services can be provided by Canada."
Canada is also working to finalize a free trade agreement with the Association of South East Nations (ASEAN).
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Canada → provide → Nations
Vietnam could prove clutch in those efforts, since it is a prominent member of the intergovernmental regional organization, says Jeff Nankivell, president and CEO of the non-profit think-tank, the Asia Pacific Foundation.
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And, Nankivell says, Canada is likely to find a willing partner in Vietnam, which has also faced punishing American tariffs, with the U.S. at one point slapping a 40 per cent levy on goods determined to have been transshipped through Vietnam.
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U.S. → say → Vietnam
"Everyone in the world is looking to diversify," he said.
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he → look → world
"When we knock on the door of a country like Vietnam, it opens very quickly because they have a similar interest in diversifying."
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they → knock → interest
It's one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and its population is relatively young and well educated.
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population → grow → world
That's of interest to Canada, because it could provide commodities like liquified natural gas (LNG), says Nankivell.
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Nankivell → provide → gas
"On conventional energy, LNG and crude oil, there could be statements of intention on the Vietnamese side to look to Canada for future supplies," he said.
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he → look → supplies
Canada could also respond to Vietnam's ambitious nuclear power program, says Nankivell.
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Nankivell → respond → program
"You might see announcements or memoranda of understanding related to closer co-operation to explore the deployment or acquisition of Canadian nuclear technology in Vietnam.
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You → see → Vietnam
But Canada and Vietnam also have key differences in values.
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Canada → have → values
Human Rights Watch highlighted this in an open letter addressed to Carney and Arbour about Vietnam's crackdown on political dissidents.
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Amnesty International has accused Lâm's government of using a vague penal code to crack down on dissent and suppress freedom of expression.
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He has also travelled to North Korea as recently as October of last year, a country with a dismal human rights record and from which Canada has suspended full diplomatic relations since 2010.
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Canada → travel → 2010
Lâm has also held high-level talks earlier this month at the Kremlin with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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Lâm → hold → Putin
Nankivell says it's an important reminder — and stronger trader relationships will only help Canada have more leverage in advancing liberal values.
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Canada → say → values
"It is still very much in Canada's national interest to continue working towards a world where human rights are better respected than they are today, but you need channels for that," he said.
"Having a state visit with the leader of a country like Vietnam is an opportunity to deepen those ties."
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Having → continue → ties
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