Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính spoke with his Czech counterpart Andrej Babis on Monday. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and the Czech Republic have vowed to work together in many ways to fight COVID-19.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Monday held phone discussions with his Czech counterpart Andrej Babis.

PM Babis agreed to transfer half a million vaccination doses along with a number of testing kits to Việt Nam. The pledge comes after the Czech Republic recently committed to donating 250,000 doses.

The Vietnamese PM said that donation demonstrates the precious support that illustrates the solid friendship between the two countries over the last 70 years.

He asked his counterpart to also consider giving Việt Nam any surplus vaccines they may have in the future.

The Czech leader expressed his appreciation for support given by the Vietnamese Government and the Vietnamese diaspora in the Czech Republic to his people since the beginning of the pandemic.

He added that even though the virus is still rampant in his country, his government stands ready to support and collaborate with Việt Nam in eradicating the pandemic.

He also said they would encourage other European countries to donate COVID-19 vaccines popular in the region to Việt Nam, namely AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Sinopharm.

The two PMs also discussed different areas of the multifaceted collaboration and agreed to maintain diplomatic visits in a flexible manner to adapt to the ever-changing COVID-19 situations.  

PM Chính invited his Czech counterpart to visit Việt Nam as soon as possible, and Babis said he hopes the trip can take place this year.

The Vietnamese PM also thanked the Czech government for its support of Việt Nam’s negotiation and signing of the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

The two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in automobile, transport, education-training, national defence and fruit exports, as well as developing a Việt Nam-Czech Republic non-stop flight.

They both agreed to collaborate more in the multinational forums and discussed international matters of mutual interest, which include issues in the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea).

They both emphasised the need to maintain security and peace in this maritime area, which includes taking actions such as promoting the role of international law and considering the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982) as the legal framework that governs all maritime activities. — VNS