Prague (VNA) - The official visit to the Czech Republic by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh from January 18-20 will help open a new chapter in and lift the two countries’ relations to a new height, as the two PMs plan to announce the upgrade of the bilateral ties to a strategic partnership this time.
The statement was made by Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Duong Hoai Nam in his interview with the Vietnam News Agency on the threshold of the visit.
Nam said that the trip, to be made at invitation of PM Petr Fiala, is of great significance, as it takes place in the context that the two nations are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties (February 2, 1950-2025).
The ambassador said that the visit is an opportunity for both sides to reflect on the 75-year journey of their relationship, which has been built on a foundation of political trust, sustainable cooperation, and mutual respect.
This is the first trip to the Czech Republic by a Vietnamese Prime Minister since the COVID-19 pandemic, and also the first by a foreign high-ranking leader to the Central European nation in 2025, marking the start of a series of events to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations.
The two sides will focus on exchanging measures to strengthen their comprehensive cooperation in various fields, including politics-diplomacy, economy-trade-investment, science-technology, innovation, education-training, culture-sports-tourism, labour, sustainable development, and people-to-people exchanges. This will contribute to further deepening the existing cooperation foundations, exploring new potential areas, and opening up new opportunities for bilateral collaboration, Nam stressed.
The two sides are expected to sign several documents to promote bilateral cooperation in the fields of education-training, and sports, and continue discussions on the possibility of establishing direct flight routes and opening cultural centres in each country to boost trade, investment, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
Another highlight is that PM Chinh and his spouse will attend the 2025 Xuan Que Huong (Homeland Spring) event, organised by the embassy in collaboration with the Confederation of Vietnamese Associations in Europe and the Vietnamese Association in the Czech Republic, Nam said, adding that this will be the first time that a high-ranking Vietnamese leader participates in such event and extends New Year greetings to the Vietnamese community there.
This event reaffirms the consistent policy of the Party and State, which views the overseas Vietnamese community as an integral part and a valuable resource of the nation, and also underscores their important role in strengthening cooperation between Vietnam and other countries around the world, he emphasised.
The Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic, one of the largest ethnic minority communities in the European nation with around 100,000 members, is highly regarded by the host government for their work ethic, integration, and significant contributions to local socio-economic development.
Regarding the bilateral relationship, the diplomat asserted that it has maintained a stable and positive development over the past 75 years. High-ranking leaders have continuously made mutual visits, actively coordinating with and supporting each other at multilateral forums and international organisations. The two sides have maintained effective bilateral cooperation mechanisms, such as the Vietnam-Czech Republic Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic Cooperation which meets biennially and has held seven sessions to date. So far, approximately 50 bilateral agreements have been signed and implemented.
Additionally, the Czech Republic views Vietnam as a key partner and a gateway connecting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with Europe, and as a priority in its strategy on cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region.
Two-way trade reached 2.9 billion USD in 2023, and was estimated at 3.8 billion USD last year, up 28% year-on-year. The Czech Republic is running 41 direct investment projects in Vietnam, with a total registered capital of 92.39 million USD. The two sides still have significant potential and room to expand cooperation into such areas as green transformation, digital transformation, renewable energy, and mining, Nam stated.
In 2025, the embassy will maintain coordination with relevant ministries and agencies from both countries, as well as the Confederation of Vietnamese Associations in Europe and the Vietnamese Association in the Czech Republic, to organise a series of activities to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties. These activities will focus on introducing and promoting the cultural traditions, images, and people of Vietnam, not only to the local population but also to the second and third generations of Vietnamese people in the Czech Republic to help the younger generations born and raised there gain a deeper understanding of Vietnam’s history and culture, thereby fostering a stronger connection to their homeland, added the ambassador./.
