Prague (VNA) 🐲– Defence cooperation plays an important role in the overall ties between Vietnam and the Czech Republic, stated Vietnamese Ambassador to the European country Duong Hoai Nam, pointing to numerous opportunities for the two sides to further promote collaboration in this field.

Addressing a ceremony to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) in Prague on December 17, the diplomat said that during her official visit to the Czech Republic last month, Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan and leaders of the host reaffirmed the significance of defence cooperation and their interest in promoting collaboration in this field with new cooperation areas such as defence industries and peacekeeping, along with the signing of new deals. The two sides agreed to make defence cooperation one of the key pillars and the foundation for the two countries to to elevate their relations to a strategic partnership in 2025 on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, he said. The ambassador expressed his confidence that the Vietnam-Czech Republic relations in general and bilateral defence cooperation in particular will see breakthrough growth in the coming time. At the event, which gathered more than 200 guests, Ambassador Nam highlighted development milestones of the VPA and its victories during national liberation and defence cause. He underlined that during the period of “Doi Moi” (Renewal), the VPA has actively participated in the nation-building and defence process, achieving remarkable success in various areas, including overcoming war aftermaths, responding to COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, as well as performing international duty. He stressed that Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development has helped the VPA expand its international presence, including through bilateral and multilateral defence cooperation. Currently, Vietnam has launched Defence Attaché Offices at 35 UN member countries, while 42 countries have established their Defence Attaché or Military Attaché Offices in Vietnam. For his part, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Ta Quang Thanh, Vietnam’s Defence Attaché to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, noted that the VPA, which started with only 44 soldiers and rudimentary equipment, has grown into a highly skilled and modern military force with extensive combat experience. He mentioned that Vietnam’s people and military have always cherished the invaluable support from the Czech Republic during Vietnam’s fight for independence and national unification, laying a solid foundation for the enduring friendship between the two countries. Thanh affirmed the commitment of Vietnam's Defence Attaché Office in the Czech Republic to strengthen cooperation in defence and military affairs, with the goal of enhancing mutual understanding and trust. He emphasised that these efforts would contribute to the development of Vietnam-Czech relations, particularly in advancing towards a strategic partnership by 2025. Meanwhile, on behalf of the Czech military, Major General Robert Bieleny from the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic congratulated the VPA on the 80th anniversary of the VPA and highlighted the deep, traditional cooperation between the two armed forces. He also identified promising areas for further collaboration, such as in education, training, and defence procurement. Takashi Hosoda, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Intelligence Studies of the University of Defence in Brno, the Czech Republic, also praised the VPA’s heroic history and its close bond with the people, which has been a key factor in the army’s growth and success./.