Canada's House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee Begins A Mission to Asia

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Nov. 27, 2017) - On November 26th, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development begins a 10-day mission in Asia, with meetings in Beijing, Hong Kong, Hanoi, and Jakarta. The delegation includes members from all three official parties.

The purpose of the trip is to gain a first-hand perspective on the economic, political, and security situation in Asia, and to identify areas where Canada can deepen its relations in the region. The mission is also part of the Committee's ongoing efforts to strengthen Canadian parliamentary diplomacy abroad.

In Beijing, China, members will meet with government officials, members of the National People's Congress, and local organizations and experts for discussions about Canada-China relations, trade, regional peace and security, and human rights. The Committee will then travel to Hong Kong for meetings with members of the Legislative Council, along with key political, economic, and legal experts. It will also meet with members of the Hong Kong business community to discuss trade and investment opportunities in the region.

The Committee's third stop will be in Hanoi, Vietnam, where it will engage with legislators from the National Assembly, Vietnamese business groups, and Canadian international development partners. The Committee's trip to Vietnam will occur only three weeks after the country hosted the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and provides a timely opportunity to explore the future of Canada-Vietnam relations.

The Committee's final destination is Jakarta, Indonesia. There, it will meet with Indonesian legislators and government officials, as well as experts on regional security in Southeast Asia. The Committee will also meet with senior officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to explore Canada's partnership with that organization.

Further information on the Committee's current work is available on its website.

Quotes:

"The aim of this mission is to explore and further solidify Canada's relations with each of these countries, as we have a number of shared trade, security and political interests. I look forward to our discussions with legislators, government officials, and a broad range of stakeholders, on how Canada can build stronger bilateral relationships in this part of the world." -Hon. Bob Nault, PC, MP, Chair

"Canada is a Pacific nation and our relationship across Asia from trade to security are important for the future. This visit will help ties between Canada and our Asian partners." Hon. Erin O'Toole, Vice Chair." - Hon. Erin O'Toole, Vice-Chair

"This trip is an opportunity for members of the Foreign Affairs Committee to further Canada's people-to-people relations in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Indonesia. My hope is for healthy discussion on many issues of mutual concern, including human rights, climate change and environmental protections, labour rights, fair trade, disarmament, and gender equality." - Hélène Laverdière, Vice-Chair