Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday, at the conclusion of his visit to Laos, that Canada needs to continue its presence in Southeast Asia if it wants to benefit from the economic prosperity in the region.
Trudeau participated in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit this week, which is the third time he has attended the annual meeting.
The Prime Minister said seeking ties with ASEAN members is not about political ideology or leaving a governmental imprint, but about recognizing economic opportunities in the region.
But to take advantage of what Southeast Asia has to offer, Trudeau said Canadians need to make their presence felt in the region.
“That’s really a big part of the challenge, is making sure we show up,” Trudeau said at a news conference on Friday.
“Yes, showing up as a leader, but more importantly, showing up as companies on trade missions, building those connections, making investments in more maritime security presence and defense presence, making more investments in developing embassies and opening trade offices.”
Trudeau announced during the visit that Canada is working to upgrade its diplomatic missions in Vientiane, Laos, and Phnom Penh, Cambodia to full embassies.
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A $128 million financing package was also announced at the summit, with the majority of the funds going toward protecting the environment and combating climate change.
The visit to Laos comes as Canada works to reach a free trade agreement with the 10-nation bloc and a separate agreement with Indonesia, which the two countries aim to sign by the end of the year.
Together, ASEAN countries represented Canada’s fourth-largest trading partner last year, and trade with the region has nearly doubled since 2015.
The visit also builds on the Liberal government’s Indo-Pacific strategy, which has laid out a roadmap to strengthen military and economic ties in the region and counterbalance China’s influence.
Canada’s efforts are part of a larger Western push to forge stronger economic and political ties with Southeast Asian countries, largely to reduce dependence on Chinese goods.
Countries in the region have their own concerns regarding China, including ongoing disputes over the South China Sea.
The ASEAN summit came in the wake of a series of violent confrontations at sea between ASEAN members China and the Philippines and Vietnam, which raised concerns that China’s aggressive actions could turn into a full-scale conflict.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Southeast Asian leaders at the summit on Friday that the United States was concerned about China’s “increasingly dangerous and illegal” activities, and pledged that the United States would continue to support freedom of navigation in the vital maritime trade route.
When asked about the escalation, Trudeau said Canada wants to see international law respected.
“These are things that we stand committed to — and we not only stand committed to them on paper, but we prove it every time we send a Coast Guard ship or a military (Canadian Armed Forces) ship through the South China Sea. “These are international waters and must be open to all navigation.”
—With files from The Associated Press.
& Edition 2024 The Canadian Press
