VNA reported that at noon on January 20, 2025, local time (evening of the same day, Hanoi time), at a press conference after the end of the talks, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced the upgrading of Vietnam - Czech Republic relations to a Strategic Partnership, opening a new chapter, bringing the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries to a new level, deep, substantial and effective.
Previously, Prime Minister Petr Fiala hosted a welcoming ceremony for Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his wife and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation on an official visit to the Czech Republic from January 18-20.
After the welcoming ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister Petr Fiala had a private meeting and led high-ranking delegations from the two countries to hold talks.
The visit of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh took place in the context of the traditional friendship between Vietnam and the Czech Republic continuing to develop well after 75 years. The Czech Republic has always supported Vietnam throughout the struggle for national independence as well as in the future nation building.
Many projects across Vietnam still bear the mark of the Czech Republic’s support. Many experts, scientists, engineers, and skilled workers were trained in the Czech Republic, contributing to the country’s construction and development.
Vietnam always attaches importance to developing traditional relations with the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic always pays attention to implementing the policy of developing cooperative relations with Vietnam in all fields.
The two sides regularly exchange delegations at high and all levels; maintain cooperation mechanisms; and always support each other in international forums.
Bilateral economic and trade relations have developed remarkably. The Czech Republic is Vietnam's leading trade partner in Central Eastern Europe, while Vietnam is the Czech Republic's most important partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Trade turnover between the two countries has recently grown strongly, reaching about 2 billion USD in 2024. Currently, the Czech Republic has 41 investment projects with a total investment capital of 91 million USD in Vietnam. The Czech Republic's strong investment cooperation areas are energy, locomotives and railway cars, buses, electric trains, agricultural machinery, and irrigation equipment.
In addition to close cooperation in the fields of economics and trade, the two countries also actively cooperate in the fields of defense, security, science, technology, culture, sports, etc.
The Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic currently has about 100,000 people, well integrated with the host country, actively contributing to strengthening relations and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries; recognized by the Czech Republic as an ethnic minority in the Czech Republic.
With the foundation of valuable relations over the past 75 years, this official visit of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to the Czech Republic is of great significance; aiming to continue affirming Vietnam's foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification, proactiveness, and comprehensive, deep and effective international integration.
Earlier the same morning, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his wife and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation laid a wreath at the Czech National Memorial - "Monument to the victorious sons of the Fatherland" in the capital Prague.
