President Võ Văn Thưởng hosts Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala in Hà Nội on April 21. VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese State and people always value and wish to promote traditional friendship lasting over 70 years with the Czech Republic in all areas, said President Võ Văn Thưởng.

During a reception in Hà Nội on Friday for Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala, who is on Việt Nam visit from April 20-22, President Thưởng thanked the Czech Republic’s Government and people for providing invaluable support for Việt Nam in the past struggle for national liberation and reunification and the current national development.

He hailed mutual support that the two countries offered to each other in the fight against COVID-19.

Fiala, for his part, affirmed that the Czech Republic always values the development of ties with Việt Nam,   its most important partner in ASEAN.

Speaking highly of the outcomes of talks between the two PMs, Thưởng suggested both sides work closely together to carry out agreements reached during the visit, fully tap existing potential and opportunities to further enhance bilateral cooperation in the new period. This could be achieved through facilitating the exchange of delegations at all levels, promoting economic-trade and investment cooperation, leveraging the tradition of collaboration in education-training, and stepping up tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

Agreeing with the President’s proposals, Fiala affirmed that the two governments will continue creating favourable conditions for the two countries’ firms to expand operations.

He proposed bolstering coordination in politics, diplomacy, economy-trade, and people-to-people exchange through the early opening of a direct air route between the two countries and the inauguration of a Czech cultural centre in Việt Nam.

Both sides agreed to continue working closely together and supporting each other at multilateral forums and international organisations, especially at the United Nations, ASEM and within the ASEAN-EU cooperation framework, for the sake of peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

About security issue, including the East Sea issue, the two leaders underscored the need to settle disputes through peaceful measures, including diplomatic and legal processes in line with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

President Thưởng suggested the Czech Government continue offering all possible support to the Vietnamese community to settle down their lives. He believed that the Vietnamese community will continue upholding their active role as a bridge promoting economic and tourism cooperation and cultural exchange, contributing to bilateral friendly cooperation across the board. —VNS