Vietnam, Czech to strengthen comprehensive ties

At the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala will pay an official visit to Vietnam from April 20-22. Prime Minister Fiala's visit is a testament to the strong and long-lasting relations between Vietnam and the Czech Republic.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Czech counterpart Petr Fiala during a meeting at Brussels. Photo: VGP

Over the years, relations between Vietnam and the Czech Republic have been further strengthened through high-level visits and exchanges, reflecting their common interests in various fields such as trade, investment, science and technology, education, and tourism.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala's visit to Vietnam shows his admiration and commitment to enhance the existing strong ties between the two nations. During his visit, Czech Ambassador to Vietnam Hynek Kmoncek highlighted the growing ties and common interests between the Czech Republic and Vietnam.

Both sides would discuss political, economic, cultural and social issues to strengthen cooperation and explore new areas of cooperation. Ambassador Hynek Kmonícek stressed that forging strong ties between Vietnam and the Czech Republic is crucial for promoting stability and prosperity in the region.

The long-standing friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and the Czech Republic have been nurtured and developed by generations of leaders and people from both countries.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Thai Xuan Dung also emphasized the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and the Czech Republic in an interview with the Czech & Slovak Leader Magazine, the largest English-language magazine of the Czech Republic, in the third quarter of 2022.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1950, the Czech Republic has always prioritized fostering cooperation with Vietnam in various fields. Moreover, Vietnam considers the Czech Republic as one of its most important partners in Central and Eastern Europe.

Bilateral economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and the Czech Republic has witnessed positive development. In 2022, the two-way trade turnover is expected to reach US$848 million, reflecting a 15% increase compared to 2021.

The Czech Republic has 41 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in Vietnam with a total capital of $92 million by the end of 2022.

The country actively supported the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and was one of the first EU countries to ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

In the area of security and defense, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation in 2012, underlining their commitment to strengthen cooperation in this field.

The Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic, consisting of approximately 100,000 people, was recognized as an ethnic minority by the host country in 2013, becoming the first Vietnamese community abroad to receive such recognition. The community has made significant positive contributions to bilateral relations and is highly valued by the Czech government for its role in promoting business, cultural exchanges, and integration in the host country.

During Prime Minister Petr Fiala's visit to Vietnam, both sides are expected to identify specific directions for cooperation in areas of potential and strength, such as economy, trade, investment, effective implementation of EVFTA, as well as promoting cooperation in energy, environment, automobile assembly, defense, security, labor, education, culture, and tourism.