“We need to work together,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Dion said while considering it a key component in the battle against climate change at a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday.

At a ceremony inaugurating the extension of the Canada Visa Application Center in District 1, Minister Dion cut the ribbon and delivered a speech celebrating the countries’ relationship.

According to Alec Clouth, head of Ho Chi Minh City’s migrant services unit at the International Organization for Migration, the extension was made in response to the significant increase in tourists and students from Vietnam applying to travel and study in Canada in recent years, especially over the last two months.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Dion said the purpose of his trip to Vietnam was to strengthen relations between the two countries, foster relationships between their people, and create opportunities for the Vietnamese to visit Canada and vice-versa.

The visa application center is a symbol of the growing relationship, he added.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Dion (third left) cut the ribbon at the inauguration ceremony of the extension of the Canada Visa Application Center in Ho Chi Minh City on September 7, 2016. Photo: Dong Nguyen/Tuoi Tre News

The ceremony was part of the Canadian minister’s official visit to Vietnam from September 3 to 8 at the invitation of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, who is also Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“I had an honor to meet your President, Deputy Prime Minister – Minster of Foreign Affairs, and Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary. I’m impressed by the ability to discuss frankly, to see the progress in our relationship, and to make sure that we create jobs for the people of Vietnam and Canada, boosting our friendship,” he stated.

Answering questions from Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper at the event, Minister Dion expressed his optimism for young people in their struggle to help Vietnam cope with climate change, a key issue discussed during his visit.

He added that he had met many young Vietnamese in the southern city of Can Tho and saw in them the hope for a better future and the willingness to tackle global challenges, like climate change.

The Canadian minister also emphasized that climate change is a challenge without borders.

“Vietnam will not succeed alone and Canada will not succeed in isolation,” he said. “We need to work together,” he said.

Earlier in Hanoi, the Canadian diplomat announced an investment of CAD15 million (US$11.6 million) for small and medium-sized enterprises in Vietnam seeking to to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change.

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