He made the request during a video conference on Monday with Canadian Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion, and International Trade Mary Ng. The meeting sought to bolster bilateral cooperation and maximize the benefits of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as the two economies recover from effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two ministers were eager to increase supply chain, production, and export coordination, particularly for face masks and personal protective equipment during the current pandemic, and proposed the establishment of an inter-governmental committee on economy and trade to share information, review cooperation, and discuss ways to improve economic, trade, and investment ties.