(VOVWORLD) - Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala will begin a 3-day official visit to Vietnam on Thursday at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. This will be his first trip to Asia since he took office in late 2021 and the first visit by a Czech Prime Minister to Vietnam in 15 years. The visit is of great significance for both countries to consolidate their traditional friendship and create an important impetus for bilateral relations.
 Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala (photo: AFP/VNA) |
Vietnam and the Czech Republic established diplomatic relations in 1950 and have maintained friendly relations and cooperation for mutual development.
Effective cooperation in multiple sectors
During the 73-year history of diplomatic relations, the Czech Republic has given priority to developing cooperative relations with Vietnam. It has received thousands of Vietnamese officials, engineers, and workers to study and work. Czech was the first Central Eastern European country to provide official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam. The two countries maintain regular contact at all levels.
The two have taken advantage of each other’s strengths for mutual development. Last year their two-way trade turnover totaled nearly 850 million USD, up 15%. Czech has 40 investment projects in Vietnam with a total capital of 92 million USD. Czech supports the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and was one of the first EU countries to ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). Both countries have great potential for expanding cooperation in trade, investment, and tourism. Czech is the gateway to the European Union for Vietnamese businesses, and Vietnam is a promising market for Czech companies.
The Vietnamese community in Czech has about 100,000 people, and was the first Vietnamese community abroad recognized as an ethnic minority in 2013. The Czech government has praised overseas Vietnamese for their contribution to bilateral ties.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Thai Xuan Dung said: “The multifaceted cooperation between the two countries grew closer when they worked together in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic. The Vietnamese community in Czech effectively supported the local government’s epidemic measures. Czech was the first EU country to donate vaccines to Vietnam.”
Czech plans to establish a Czech Center in Vietnam to strengthen cultural diplomacy, promote mutual understanding and cooperation, and introduce Czech culture and history to the Vietnamese people.
 Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Thai Xuan Dung (photo: Vietnam's Embassy in the Czech Republic) |
The visit is a testament to friendship and cooperation
Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Vietnam Hynek Kmonícek said Prime Minister Fiala's visit to Vietnam is a testament to the growing friendship and cooperation between the two countries. The two sides will discuss political, economic, cultural, and social issues, identify specific ways to implement the EVFTA, and encourage their businesses to invest in energy, the environment, and automobile assembly. The Prime Minister’s entourage will include representatives of large corporations and companies seeking investment opportunities in Vietnam.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Thai Xuan Dung said: “The visit will further consolidate the traditional friendly relationship and create momentum for elevating multifaceted cooperation to a new level. The signing of a number of cooperation documents will create a boost and a legal basis for the countries to exploit the other’s potentials.”