Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his spouse arrive at Václav Havel Airport in Prague, beginning an official visit to the Czech Republic. — VNA/VNS Photo

PRAGUE — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, his spouse and a high-ranking delegation of Việt Nam arrived in Prague on January 18 afternoon (local time), beginning an official visit to the Czech Republic from November 18-20 at the invitation of his Czech counterpart Petr Fiala.

PM Chính and his entourage were welcomed at Václav Havel Airport by Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jiri Kozak, Czech Ambassador to Việt Nam Hynek Kmonicek, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Dương Hoài Nam, staff of the Vietnamese embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community in the European country.

During the visit, the Vietnamese government leader is scheduled to hold talks and meetings with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, President Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Senate Milos Vystrcil, and receive leaders of the Czech Communist Party and the Czech Republic’s friendship organisation.

In addition, he will visit the Vietnamese embassy, meet with representatives of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic; attend the 2025 Xuân Quê Hương (Homeland Spring) programme and extend New Year greetings to the Vietnamese community, visit outstanding Vietnamese people in the Czech Republic, work with outstanding Vietnamese businesses in the Czech Republic and Europe, and visit the Sapa Trade Centre - where many Vietnamese people do business. He is also scheduled to receive leaders of leading Czech businesses and attend the Việt Nam - Czech Business Forum.

Chính's visit to the Czech Republic takes place in the context that the traditional friendship between Việt Nam and the Czech Republic has been growing over the past seven decades.

Việt Nam always treasures the development of relations with traditional countries in Central and Eastern Europe, including the Czech Republic - a priority partner.

The Czech Republic views Việt Nam as a key partner and a gateway connecting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with Europe, and as a priority in its strategy for cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region.

Two-way trade reached US$2.9 billion in 2023, and was estimated at $3.8 billion last year, up 28 per cent year-on-year. The Czech Republic is running 41 direct investment projects in Việt Nam, with a total registered capital of $92.39 million. The two sides still have significant potential and room to expand cooperation into such areas as green transformation, digital transformation, renewable energy, and mining.

This visit is of great significance. It aims to continue affirming Việt Nam's foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation, diversification, and comprehensive international integration, contributing to deepening and elevating relations between the two countries to a new level of development. — VNS