International Trade Committee on Feb. 14th, 2017

[H.E. Duc Hoa Nguyen]

Those are very good questions, and very difficult questions too.

This is very difficult for our country. Vietnam and China are very close geographically, and it's good because China is a very big market. It's our biggest market for Vietnamese imports and exports. But because of the historic reasons between Vietnam and China, there exist some differences, particularly the disputed territory in the South China Sea. We call it the Eastern Sea, not the Southern Sea.

That's why we advocate a foreign policy of bilateral relations and multilateralism. We need to have good relations with China, but we also need to have good relations with other major countries and regions, even countries far from, and not in, our region. So now we have established a partnership with 15 countries, and we have comprehensive partnership with 10 countries. That's our policy. It would take a long time to explain to you how it went, but I think that in essence is our main foreign policy in dealing with the neighbouring countries, and also in dealing with a major power. I hope that you get my point.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

We have one more quick question, from Mr. Fonseca.

[Peter Fonseca, Liberal, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Thank you, Your Excellency, and thank you for coming before our committee.

I was reading that public opinion polls showed that 98% of Vietnamese were in favour of the TPP and only 2% against. That's not exactly how things were here in Canada.

What I'd like to know is how you got the public onside. How were the public informed about the TPP that you would get 98% approval?

[H.E. Duc Hoa Nguyen]

I don't know this number.

Where did you get the statistics, from the Vietnamese government or from an organization or agency?

[Peter Fonseca, Liberal, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

It was the media.

[H.E. Duc Hoa Nguyen]

The media.

[Peter Fonseca, Liberal, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

That there was 98% approval.

[H.E. Duc Hoa Nguyen]

I don't think it was 98% who agreed.

Most Vietnamese people agreed, but also another number have different views on that. That's why we also have what we call “internal consultations” among the agencies, between the government ministries and [Inaudible—Editor].

[Peter Fonseca, Liberal, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

With the approval that you were getting, was it a strategic decision not to move to ratify right away, thinking about waiting for the United States to see what they would do?

[H.E. Duc Hoa Nguyen]

No, I don't think so.

I'd like to say forget the TPP, but apart from TPP, we have also joined other FTAs. That is why we don't mind so much about whether the TPP exists or not. We have signed and are a member of, I think now, about 10 FTAs, multilateral and bilateral, with other major partners and regions. Without the TPP, from my point of view, it's not so....

[The Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Thank you. That wraps up the questions and dialogue.

Thank you, Your Excellency, for coming today. We are planning, maybe in the fall or in the upcoming year, on doing an Asia-Pacific tour. If we have time and if we have enough money, we'd love to go to your country. We'd appreciate that.

On that note, we're going to suspend. We're just going to take a minute if anybody wants a picture with the ambassador. Maybe we can go in the back somewhere.

[H.E. Duc Hoa Nguyen]

One thing I'd like to say is to emphasize that I would like to see your Prime Minister in Vietnam during the APEC summit. I would like you to support this, because it is important for our two countries to discuss the major issues that we need to work together on. Thank you so much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

We will pass on your request.

[H.E. Duc Hoa Nguyen]

Thank you so much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Thank you, sir.

We're just going to suspend for a minute.

[Proceedings continue in camera]