Prime Minister to travel to the Indo-Pacific to strengthen ties

OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 30, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, people around the world are feeling the effects of conflict, threats to democracy and human rights, climate change and natural disasters, food and energy insecurity, and increased inflation. These crises and challenges are driving up the cost of living, destroying homes and displacing people, and creating uncertainty about the future. It is essential to work with our international partners, including in the Indo-Pacific and within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the G20, to tackle these challenges and identify opportunities to create jobs and economic benefits, and improve quality of life for people around the world.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that he will travel to Jakarta, Indonesia to participate in the ASEAN Summit from September 5 to 6, 2023. This will be followed by a bilateral visit to Singapore from September 7 to 8, 2023. He will then participate in the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, from September 9 to 10, 2023.

While in the Indo-Pacific region next week, the Prime Minister will reaffirm Canada's commitment to strengthening economic co-operation and removing trade barriers to create good middle-class jobs and make life more affordable for people on both sides of the Pacific. He will also work with his counterparts to strengthen ties between our peoples and drive climate action.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is at the heart of the Indo-Pacific region and Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy. At the ASEAN Summit, Prime Minister Trudeau will reinforce Canada's support for ASEAN and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific to promote regional peace and stability, rules-based trade, food security, and economic growth that benefits everyone. He will also take part in an ASEAN-Canada Summit, during which the official launch of the ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership will take place. The Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders on the margins of the Summit.

In Indonesia, the Prime Minister will meet with the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, to keep working together to fight climate change, improve food security, and advance economic ties including by underscoring Canada's commitment to conclude a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Indonesia, Canada's largest export market in Southeast Asia.

In Singapore, an important partner under Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy, Prime Minister Trudeau will strengthen bilateral relations, particularly by promoting Canadian exports and positioning Canada as a destination of choice for investment opportunities. The Prime Minister will meet with the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, and a number of key private sector leaders.

At the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, under the theme "One Earth ? One Family ? One Future", the Prime Minister will work with international partners to tackle today's global crises to build a better tomorrow for people around the world. He will promote the United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in his role as co-Chair of the SDG Advocates group, and advocate for increased collaboration in the areas of climate change, international financial institution reform, food and energy security, gender equality, and improved global health.

Canada is, and will always be, a champion of the rules-based international order, and the global trade and economic progress that depend on those rules. Russia's brutal war of aggression in Ukraine is an attack on the rules that all countries rely on to do business, trade, grow, and improve life for their citizens. That's why, at the G20, Prime Minister Trudeau will continue to advocate for collective action to hold Putin accountable for his illegal war and to secure a just and durable peace that starts with Russia's immediate withdrawal from Ukraine. Working collaboratively to tackle global crises while holding Russia accountable is essential to maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of the G20.

The Prime Minister's visit to the Indo-Pacific region will be an opportunity to make progress and deliver results on issues of importance to Canada and its international partners. We will continue to work with our partners around the world to address the challenges of today while rising to meet the opportunities of tomorrow.

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"We live in an increasingly interconnected world, and it is clear that the crises that exist today can only be addressed by pulling together. I look forward to meeting with global leaders to address the challenges and crises we are facing, seize opportunities for Canadians, and ensure a strong economy for now and for generations to come."
? The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Quick Facts

• Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, will be accompanying the Prime Minister to Indonesia and Singapore.
• The Indo-Pacific is the fastest-growing economic region in the world.
• Released in November 2022, Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy advances and defends Canada's interests by supporting a more secure, prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable Indo-Pacific region while protecting Canada's national and economic security at home and abroad.
• The Indo-Pacific region is home to 21 of the world's 30 largest cities, and 54 per cent of the world's population.
• The Indo-Pacific is Canada's second-largest merchandise export market, after the United States of America, with annual two-way trade valued at $270 billion in 2022.
• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising 10 member states with the objective to accelerate economic growth, social progress, and cultural development; promote regional peace and stability, respect for justice, and the rule of law; and increase collaboration across a range of economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific, and administrative spheres.
• Canada is home to nearly 1.3 million people of Southeast Asian descent, who greatly contribute to our country's economic, cultural, and social fabric.
• Indonesia is a founding member of ASEAN and a major regional power in Southeast Asia.
• Indonesia accounts for about 35 per cent of ASEAN's total GDP. In 2022, Indonesia was Canada's 19th-largest trading partner worldwide and third largest among ASEAN countries, with two-way merchandise trade totalling more than $6 billion. Canadian merchandise exports to Indonesia were valued at over $3 billion.
• In 2022, Singapore was Canada's largest destination in Southeast Asia for Canadian direct investment abroad ($28 billion) and Canada's second largest source of foreign direct investment ($1.9 billion) from Southeast Asia.
• In 2022, bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and Singapore was valued at nearly $2.9 billion, an increase of 28 per cent compared to 2021. Canada's merchandise exports were $1.5 billion, and Canadian merchandise imports from Singapore totalled $1.3 billion in 2022.
• Canada and India enjoy a close relationship that is based on our shared commitment to democracy, pluralism, as well as a free and open Indo-Pacific. Our friendship is bolstered by strong ties between our people, and a long history of co-operation in areas ranging from trade, science and technology, education, and security.
• Canada is home to a vibrant Indian diaspora, with more than nearly 1.3 million Canadians of Indian heritage.
• The G20 is the primary forum for international economic co-operation among its members. G20 members are the world's major economies and represent all inhabited continents, 80 per cent of world GDP, 75 per cent of global trade, and 60 per cent of the world's population.

Associated Links

• Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy
• Canada and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
• Canada and Indonesia
• Canada and Singapore
• Canada and India
• Canada and the G20
• Canada's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister's Office