Eyeing upon the lucrative economic opportunities in the rising Asia, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird Sunday will start his three-day visit to Asia to strengthen bilateral relations with Asian countries.

"Asia is full of new opportunities to expand Canada's economic prosperity," said John Baird, "We know that Canada must take an active role in this part of the world. It's simply not a choice; it's not an option; it's a national imperative," added Baird.

According to a press release , the foreign minister has announced his visit to Asia while addressing a group of entrepreneurs in Alberta Friday.

John Baird is scheduled to visit Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong March 10 to 13 and this will be his seventh official visit to Asia.

Besides meeting government officials in the Asia-Pacific region, the Canadian foreign minister will also meet with representatives of Canadian and Asian businesses.

The minister aims to create more jobs and economic growth by visiting these three Asia-pacific countries.

"Canada's trade with Asia has more than doubled in a generation, and Asian investment into Canada has grown by over 400 percent in the last two decades," said Baird. "We are committed to creating jobs and growth, in keeping with our government's principled foreign policy and the four priorities outlined recently by Prime Minister Stephen Harper."

Foreign mister's Asia visit announcement comes at a time when Canada is busy lobbying the Obama administration for approval of the multibillion dollar Keystone pipe line that would transport tar-sands oil from Alberta to Galveston Texas, for shipment to Latin America and Europe.

Canada last December gave green signal to the handover of Calgary based international gas company Nexen to the Chinese State owned company CNOOC.

Baird's first stop will be in Singapore Monday and then he will move to Vietnam Tuesday and Hong Kong, Wednesday.

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