Vietnam and Canada have formally upgraded their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership following a state visit to Ottawa by Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam — the first such visit by a CPV chief to Canada. Meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the two leaders announced the upgrade from a Comprehensive Partnership established in 2017, anchoring cooperation across eight pillars including trade, digital technology, energy security, and defence. The move reflects shared interests between two self-described "middle powers" deeply embedded in global trade — bilateral exchange reached $20.6 billion in 2025 — and signals both countries' intent to shore up rules-based international order at a time of mounting geopolitical and economic disruption.