Minister Joly to travel to South Korea and Japan

News release

October 9, 2022 – Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

As a Pacific nation, Canada recognizes that the Indo-Pacific region is critically important for the long-term prosperity, health and security of Canadians. Decisions made in the region will impact Canadians for generations and it is imperative that Canada is at the table.

As Canada continues to develop its Indo-Pacific strategy, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that she will be travelling to South Korea and Japan from October 9 to 15. Minister Joly will highlight Canada’s strengths and expertise that can be leveraged to enhance regional security, promote democracy, integrate our supply chains, spur inclusive growth, and fight climate change. She will also promote Canada’s leadership in the responsible, inclusive, and sustainable production of critical minerals.

In Busan and Seoul, South Korea, Minister Joly will forge new ground to advance the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership recently announced by South Korean’s President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Minister Joly will also reiterate Canada’s active commitment to regional and maritime security in the Indo-Pacific as well as to peace and stability, including in the Korean Peninsula through the Canadian Armed Forces’ Operation NEON.

In Tokyo, Japan, Minister Joly will discuss a robust action plan to advance Canada and Japan’s common interests and values under their vision of six shared priorities in contributing to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The Minister will highlight Canada’s continued commitment to working with Japan and other partners in the region to counter threats to the rules-based international order. She will also thank Minister Hayashi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, for his cooperation at the G7 and convey Canada’s full support for Japan’s upcoming G7 Presidency in 2023.

Throughout her visits, Minister Joly will engage with her counterparts and senior government officials on the far-reaching impact of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine on the Indo-Pacific. The Minister will build on the strong vibrant people-to-people ties while in South Korea and Japan.

Quotes

“Indo-Pacific relationships will continue to be driving forces for Canada and our partners’ growth in the coming decades. I look forward to my visits to South Korea and Japan to highlight how Canada can be a trusted partner in building a free and open Indo-Pacific today and decades to come.”

- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Quick facts

  • Minister Joly’s bilateral visits to South Korea and Japan will mark the first from a Canadian foreign affairs minister since 2018.

  • South Korea is Canada’s seventh largest trading partner, the seventh largest merchandise export market, and the sixth largest source of merchandise imports. Canada-South Korea two-way merchandise trade reached $16.7 billion in 2021. In the same year, Canada exported $6.3 billion of merchandise to Korea, consisting primarily of mineral ores, mineral fuels and oils, precious stones and metals, wood pulp, and meat.

  • Japan is the world’s third-largest national economy. With a gross domestic product of $6.2 trillion in 2021, it is one of Canada’s most important economic and commercial partners and Canada’s largest source of bilateral foreign direct investment (FDI) in Asia. Foreign direct investment from Japan into Canada was valued at $46 billion in 2021.

  • During his first visit to Canada in September 2022, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau upgraded the Canada-South Korea relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership based on 5 shared priorities in democratic values and human rights, defence and security, prosperity, innovation and economic security, climate change and sustainability, culture and health, and beyond.

  • In May 2021, Canada and Japan agreed on 6 areas of bilateral cooperation that will benefit both countries and advance common interests in the Indo-Pacific region, including the rule of law, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, health security and responding to COVID-19, energy security, free trade promotion and trade agreement implementation, and the environment and climate change.

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Adrien Blanchard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Adrien.Blanchard@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
media@international.gc.ca
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