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Prime Minister Carney to Visit Indo-Pacific Region, Deepening Trade and Defence Relationships

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will embark on a diplomatic mission to the Indo-Pacific region from October 24 to November 1, 2025, with the aim of strengthening trade and defence partnerships. His visit will focus on advancing significant new export opportunities for Canadian industries, deepening the Canada-Singapore partnership, and accelerating efforts to remove trade barriers in Southeast Asia.

Key Takeaways:

  • Prime Minister Carney will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he will focus on advancing new export opportunities for Canadian industries.
  • In Singapore, he will meet with the Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, and senior business leaders to deepen the Canada-Singapore partnership in trade, energy, and technology.
  • The Prime Minister's visit will accelerate efforts to remove trade barriers and attract investment, with the aim of increasing Canadian market access in Southeast Asia.
  • He will participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, Korea, where he will meet with international counterparts and senior business leaders to deepen trade in agriculture, energy, defence, and critical minerals.
  • The Indo-Pacific region is Canada's second-largest regional trading partner, with annual two-way merchandise trade valued at $261 billion in 2024.
  • APEC's 21 member economies were responsible for more than 60% of world GDP, accounted for around 50% of world merchandise trade, and were home to nearly 37% of the world's population as of 2023.
  • APEC is a key merchandise trade partner for Canada, with trade valued at $1.3 trillion in 2024.
  • The 10 ASEAN member states represented the fifth-largest economy in the world and the third-largest population in the world as of 2024, with annual two-way merchandise trade valued at $42.3 billion in 2024.

Statistics:

  • $261 billion: annual two-way merchandise trade between Canada and the Indo-Pacific region in 2024.
  • 677 million: population of the ASEAN region.
  • $5 trillion: economy of the ASEAN region.
  • 60%: share of world GDP accounted for by APEC's 21 member economies as of 2023.
  • 50%: share of world merchandise trade accounted for by APEC's 21 member economies as of 2023.
  • 37%: share of the world's population residing in APEC member economies as of 2023.
  • $1.3 trillion: trade value between Canada and APEC in 2024.
  • $42.3 billion: annual two-way merchandise trade between Canada and ASEAN in 2024.

Sources:

  • Prime Minister of Canada, "Prime Minister Carney to Visit Indo-Pacific Region to Deepen Trade and Defence Relationships and Unlock New Economic Opportunities for Canadians" (Oct. 17, 2025).
  • Statistics Canada, various trade statistics (2024).
  • ASEAN Secretariat, "ASEAN: The Economic Community" (2024).
  • APEC Secretariat, "APEC: Economic and Technical Cooperation" (2023).

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