Prime Minister Stephen Harper raised a number of human rights issues Friday during a meeting with Vietnam's prime minister ahead of the APEC summit.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Vietnamese Promie Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the White House in Hanoi.
(Anthony Germain/CBC)

Harper began his discussion with Nguyen Tan Dung by describing Canada's growing trade relationship with Vietnam, one of Asia's fastest growing economies.

"This has been my first trip to this part of the world," Harper told his counterpart. "I do have a brother that has been involved in business in Vietnam, so I am aware of the growing business co-operation between the two countries."

The two leaders sat side by side in the Vietnamese prime minister's office, adorned with scarlet rugs, immense white chandeliers and a giant bust of late president Ho Chi Minh.

Canadian officials said the tone of the talks shifted during the private portion as Harper brought up as many as 10 cases of Vietnamese people who were harassed or jailed for their political or religious beliefs.

Vietnam's Communist leaders have been criticized for their religious persecution, particularly of Buddhists and Christians and a crackdown on press freedoms.

Harper told Nguyen that economic openness goes hand in hand with social and political freedoms.

"While recognizing that the country has progressed, there remains areas where it's possible to progress more, and that's what the prime minister underlined today," Gabriel Lessard, Canada's ambassador to Vietnam, told reporters.

A meeting between Harper and Chinese President Hu Jintao remained up in the air Friday.

Harper's spokeswoman, Sandra Buckler, said he is open to meeting with Chinese officials, who said they didn't appreciate "irresponsible meddling" in their internal affairs.

On Wednesday, Canadian officials said China rejected a private meeting because of Ottawa's criticisms of its human rights record and a case involving a Chinese-Canadian man being held prisoner.

However, on Thursday, a Chinese diplomat told a news conference the two leaders would meet.

 

With files from the Canadian Press