Saskatchewan enhances cooperation with Vietnam
Saskatchewan enhances cooperation with Vietnam
Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison led Canada's Saskatchewan’s delegation to Vietnam to discuss trade and economic partnerships.
During the visit from December 9 to 16, the mission emphasized how Saskatchewan-sourced agricultural products and potash can enhance food security. The province is already Vietnam’s largest supplier of dry peas, making up 47 percent of all imports of the product to the nation.
Saskatchewan’s delegation introduced the province’s strength to Vietnamese companies in Ho Chi Minh City |
The mission also showcased Saskatchewan as a location for attracting talent and international students. Saskatchewan post-secondary institutions have 19 agreements with their counterparts in Vietnam, and the province was host to 248 international students from the country, approximately two percent of all international students in the province. There were also discussions on potential labour market partnerships.
“Our goal is to strengthen our ties with Vietnam, and showcase the benefits of our agriculture commodities, natural resources, and innovation,” said Harrison. “An example of Saskatchewan’s commitment to strengthening those ties is our recently opened trade and investment office in Ho Chi Minh City. As we move forward, we are always seeking to diversify our exports into markets outside of China."
The province opened a trade and investment office in Vietnam in February of this year, which is already increasing provincial exports. Year-to-date exports from Saskatchewan to Vietnam are up by 50 percent in 2022, to US$91.7 million. Much of that increase is being driven by increased exports of potash, wood pulp, canola oil, lentils and weighing machinery.
There was also interest in working together on green energy. Carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies, small modular reactor research and development, sustainable mining and rare earth elements have all been noted as areas where Saskatchewan and Vietnam can collaborate.
“Saskatchewan has the resources and technology that our growing world needs," said Harrison.
Canada and Vietnam are both part of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade agreement between nine countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
