Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala to visit Vietnam this week
VOV.VN - Prime Minister Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic will pay an official visit to Vietnam from April 20-22 at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.
This is Fiala’s first Asian trip after he took office in late 2021 and the first visit by a Czech Government leader to Vietnam during the past 15 years.
The visit takes place at a time when the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries have developed positively in various fields. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1950, the former Czechoslovakia and now Czech Republic has prioritized strengthening multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam.
The Czech Republic trained thousands of Vietnamese officials, engineers and workers sent to the central European state under cooperation agreements in the past. It was the first central European state to provide ODA for Vietnam.
Currently, the two countries maintain regular contacts at all levels both physically and virtually. They also coordinate closely at regional and international forums.
Last year saw their two-way trade turnover hit US$848 million, an increase of 15% year on year. As of 2022, the Czech Republic had 41 FDI projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of US$92 million.
The Vietnam – Czech Republic Inter-Governmental Committee has convened seven meetings since its establishment in 2006.
The Czech Republic has supported the signing of the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and was one of the first EU member states to ratify the EU – Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
The two countries have maintained defense cooperation since they signed a memorandum of understanding on the field in 2012. The Czech Republic also granted scholarships and received Vietnamese students to study in the 1999 – 2014 period.
There are approximately 100,000 Vietnamese nationals living, working and studying in the Czech Republic. Vietnamese expatriates have been highly appreciated by the Czech Government for their practical contributions to local society.
During Fiala's visit, the two sides are expected to outline orientations for future cooperation in potential areas such as economy, trade, investment, energy, environment, automobile assembly, as well as effective implementation of the EVFTA.