Toronto (VNA) – A seminardiscussing opportunities for the Vietnamese fisheries sector brought by theComprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)was held in Toronto, Canada on March 21.

The event was chaired Ministry ofIndustry and Trade (MoIT), in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture andRural Development.

Deputy head of the European-AmericanMarkets Department under the MoIT Nguyen Hong Duong said that Vietnam-Canadatrade ties have recorded positive development over the years, adding that theCPTPP offers new chances for the two sides to raise bilateral relations to anew height.

Therefore, it is a crucial time forauthorised agencies to seize opportunities to support businesses in taking advantageof the CPTPP. That Canadian administrators have a similar mindset with theirVietnamese peers will aid the process, he added.

Statistics showed that Canada shippedgoods totalling 1.02 billion CAD (762.9 million USD) to Vietnam in 2018, whileits imports from the Southeast Asian nation hit 5.38 billion CAD (more than4.02 billion USD).

From mid-January this year, allfisheries products of Vietnam to the Canadian market have enjoyed zero tariffs.According to data of the MoIT, Canada currently spends about 240 million USDpurchasing Vietnamese seafood each year.

Speaking at the event, Jessica Yang,a representative of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, underlined the role oftraceability of imported food, including aquatic products, in Canada’s new SafeFood Laws.

Notably, seafood is viewed as apromising sector in the Vietnamese market for Canadian exporters, she added.-VNA