Prague (VNA) – ♓As part of his official visit to the Czech Republic, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrčil in Prague on January 20 afternoon (local time).

At the meeting, PM Chinh affirmed that in her foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralism, and diversification of relations, Vietnam treasures and hopes to strengthen ties with traditional partners in the Central and Eastern Europe, with the Czech Republic being a top priority. Between the two countries, there are only commonalities, no differences, he said, stating that these similarities form the foundation for them to elevate their relationship to a strategic partnership, marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Senate President Vystrčil recognised Vietnam’s special significance to the Czech Republic, describing the former as one of the latter’s most important partners in Southeast Asia. He expressed optimism that the strategic partnership would open up new avenues for collaboration, particularly in economy, security, defence, education, and science-technology. Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the socio-economic achievements of their countries and the positive developments in bilateral relations, despite global uncertainties. They agreed to actualise the strategic partnership by fostering all-level delegation exchanges, promoting people-to-people exchanges, and enhancing cooperation in defence, education, and tourism. PM Chinh proposed that the Czech Senate support increasing labour quotas for Vietnamese workers and facilitating tourism by easing entry requirements for Vietnamese citizens. The leaders said they support strengthening delegation exchanges between the legislative bodies of the two countries to share experiences in policy- and law-making. On this occasion, PM Chinh conveyed an invitation from National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man to the Czech Senate President to visit Vietnam. Chinh proposed that the two sides establish extensive cooperation mechanisms and prepare for the 8th session of their intergovernmental committee on economic cooperation. He expressed his hope that the Czech Senate will support bilateral cooperation agreements and economic frameworks, encouraging investment in the areas where both countries have strengths. Lauding the outcomes of the talks between Prime Minister Chinh and his Czech counterpart Petr Fiala, Vystrčil affirmed his support for the directions and measures outlined by the two governments to advance the bilateral friendship and cooperation to a new stage of development following its upgrade. Considering Vietnam one of the Czech Republic's most promising markets in Southeast Asia, the Senate President noted the growing interest among Czech businesses in expanding their investment and operations in the market. He agreed with PM Chinh’s proposal to encourage other European countries to expedite the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). Vystrčil also expressed gratitude for Vietnam’s decision to grant visa exemption to Czech citizens in 2025, commending the positive impact of this decision on tourism and people-to-people exchanges. The two sides agreed to strengthen coordination and mutual support at multilateral and inter-parliamentary forums to contribute to peace, cooperation, and development in the regions and the world. Discussing international and regional issues, including the East Sea, PM Chinh called for the Czech Senate’s support for ASEAN’s centrality. He also affirmed the importance of peace, stability, cooperation, and development globally, as well as of peace, stability, safety, security, and freedom of navigation in the East Sea, while supporting international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Government leader also thanked Czech authorities for supporting the 100,000-strong Vietnamese community that serves as a bridge between the two nations. This meeting marked the conclusion of PM Chinh’s official visit to the Czech Republic. Later that evening, he, together with his spouse and a delegation of Vietnam, departed Prague to attend the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum and conduct bilateral activities in Switzerland./.