The Vietnam Trade Office in Canada is pleased to be among the organizing partners of the international conference “Economic Security, Connectivity and Influence Strategies in Southeast Asia: Vietnam–Thailand Perspectives,” to be held on October 7–8, 2026, at Université Laval in Quebec City
Against the backdrop of profound regional transformations driven by the growing prominence of the Indo-Pacific concept and the ambitious development of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Southeast Asia has become a focal point of global strategic realignment.
These parallel dynamics—the reshaping of maritime balances and the expansion of infrastructure and continental connectivity—place Southeast Asian countries in a position that is both strategically important and increasingly complex. Vietnam and Thailand, as middle powers within ASEAN, seek to preserve their room for manoeuvre amid intensifying competition among major powers, while advancing economic development and maintaining strategic autonomy.
The conference will offer comparative perspectives on the strategies pursued by Vietnam and Thailand, with particular attention to the links between economic security, connectivity, strategic autonomy, regional integration and influence strategies. It will highlight both the similarities and differences between the two countries’ approaches to managing interdependence in a rapidly evolving geopolitical environment.
Date: October 7–8, 2026
Venue: Université Laval, Quebec City
Registration: Free of charge
In partnership with:
- Research Chair on New Challenges of Economic Globalization (NEME)
- Global Affairs Canada
- Ministère des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie (MRIF)
- Embassy of Thailand
- Vietnam Trade Office in Canada – Representative Office of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam
- Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
- Graduate School of International Studies (ESEI), Université Laval
The Vietnam Trade Office in Canada warmly invites businesses, researchers, experts and organizations interested in Southeast Asia, the Indo-Pacific, economic security and regional connectivity to participate in this international conference.
Vietnam Trade Office in Canada
