Expert Randolph Mank assesses that Canada will strengthen its presence in Southeast Asia and tighten relations with ASEAN member countries, considering Vietnam as an important partner.
Philippine Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Ma Theresa P. Lazaro (left) speaks at the conference. (Source: Vietnam+)The Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI) of Canada, in collaboration with the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa, organized a workshop on the South China Sea, focusing on ways to ensure the region remains free, open, prosperous, and governed by the rule of law.
Jonathan Miller, Director of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, said the workshop addressed not only legal issues but also food security, biodiversity, and energy transport routes through the South China Sea.
The workshop attracted considerable interest from Canadian experts, scholars, and officials in a wide range of fields from political security to socio-economics, as well as numerous officials from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and Embassy.
Speaking at the seminar, Philippine Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Ma Theresa P. Lazaro appreciated Canada's interest in the ASEAN region as well as the South China Sea issue, affirming that the Philippines is ready to cooperate closely with Canada and its partners to maintain a more peaceful , stable and prosperous region.
[Vietnam is an important defense partner of Canada in ASEAN]
Speaking to a VNA reporter on the sidelines of the seminar, Randolph Mank, former Canadian Ambassador and Chairman of Mank Global, stated that Canada will strengthen its presence in Southeast Asia and tighten relations with ASEAN member countries, considering Vietnam as an important partner and a potential manufacturing hub in the technology sector, given the well-developing bilateral relations, especially in the trade sector.
In November 2022, the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released its first Indo-Pacific Strategy, affirming that Canada would diversify its relationships, promote rules-based regional institutions, and push back against unilateral actions in the South China Sea.
Source
Comment (0)