The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, today kicked off a trade and development mission to Laos and Burma from August 26 to 29, 2014, to continue to build stronger economic ties with the region and with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Minister Fast’s first official visit to Laos also represents a milestone in the bilateral relationship; it will be the first time in history that a Canadian trade minister has visited the country. Through meetings with government officials and representatives of Canadian companies operating in Laos, Minister Fast will also highlight opportunities to deepen trade and bilateral relations between our countries.

In Burma, Minister Fast will participate in the third ASEAN Economic Ministers-Canada Consultations and will continue Canada’s sustained engagement with the 10 ASEAN member nations on trade, investment and economic ties...

Quick Facts

• The 10-member ASEAN bloc consists of Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
• In 2013, Canada-ASEAN merchandise trade grew by 7.3 percent, amounting to almost $17 billion. It has increased by 30.3 percent over the last five years...

This has been excerpted from the 26 August 2014 news release by Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada.