Canada welcomes Vietnamese President Tô Lâm on state visit

Canada is hosting Vietnamese President Tô Lâm for a state visit in Ottawa, with Governor General Louise Arbour and Prime Minister Mark Carney expected to receive him. The visit is being framed as a chance to strengthen ties between two middle powers with growing economic interests. Officials and experts say trade is a major focus. Vietnam is already Canada’s largest trading partner in Southeast Asia, and both countries are looking at ways to expand cooperation in areas such as manufacturing, science, technology, and AI. Canada is also seeking to advance a trade deal with ASEAN, where Vietnam plays a central role. Energy cooperation is another possible outcome, with analysts pointing to Canadian LNG, crude oil, and nuclear technology as areas of interest for Vietnam. At the same time, the visit has drawn attention from human rights groups, which say Canada should not overlook Vietnam’s record on dissent and freedom of expression while pursuing closer relations.