Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Chinh’s official visit to the Czech Republic will open fresh spaces for the development of relations between the two countries, Czech Ambassador to Vietnam Hynek Kmoníček told the Vietnam News Agency in an interview ahead of ღthe visit.

The ambassador expected that during the visit, the two sides will sign an agreement on education cooperation to benefit Czech students and scholars in Vietnam. Along with several business cooperation deals, PM Chinh and his Czech counterpart are expected to sign an agreement to elevate the bilateral relationship to a higher level, which is expected to provide both politicians and representatives of the two countries with a fresh space for pursuing the new goals of the close partnership. Ambassador Kmoníček stressed that this upgrade is not merely a symbolic recognition of the closeness between the two countries, but also underscores the importance of accelerating the standardisation of concrete outcomes in the friendship. He said he hopes that the visit will see progress on some practical issues, including the Vietnamese Government's approval of Sev.en Global Investment’s project in the country and the introduction of Czech salami and smoked meats to the market. The diplomat said that he is optimistic about the prospects of the opening of a direct flight route between Prague and Hanoi and the signing of a visa waiver agreement for Czech tourists visiting Vietnam. These prospects, along with other areas of cooperation, will help boost bilateral trade, potentially surpassing the present 3 billion USD. The Czech ambassador described the growth of bilateral relationship as a typical model, noting that the Czech Republic was one of the first four countries to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam 75 years ago. This year marks a special milestone, especially considering the vibrant Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic, now over 100,000 strong - making up the third-largest minority in the country whose population stands at only 10 million. Bilateral relations have exceeded expectations, he said, underlining that trade is growing year on year, and the value is expected to surpass 3 billion USD for the first time this year.

PM Chinh’s visit, marking 75 years of diplomatic ties, underscores the importance of this partnership, which goes beyond government relations and is deeply rooted in people-to-people connections. Nearly 300,000 Vietnamese people have studied in the Czech Republic, many of whom maintain strong ties and even speak Czech, a language known for its difficulty, he said. He also highlighted Vietnam as the gateway that connects the Czech Republic with all ASEAN countries. The ambassador held that the potential for further growth of bilateral ties is enormous. The two sides are eyeing stronger tourism cooperation with direct charter flights to Phu Quoc that welcomes nearly 900 Czechs every week. On the economic front, Czech investments are booming, particularly in the energy sector. Czech firms have invested nearly half a billion USD in Vietnam’s power infrastructure and now own the largest BOT power plant in northern Vietnam. He said that the Czech Republic has introduced Škoda cars to Vietnam, and next year, they will be manufactured in the Southeast Asian nation with 30,000 vehicles provided annually for the Vietnamese market and broader ASEAN. Furthermore, many of the investments are coming from Vietnamese people living in the Czech Republic, he said, showing his delight to see at least one major investment project each year, often valued at around 30 million USD. Commenting on the contributions of the Vietnamese community to Czech society and to bilateral relations, the diplomat said that the community is unique. They began arriving in the Czech Republic in the mid-1950s and were not believed to stay there for a long time due to the intense winter weather, along with culture and language barriers. However, they have become a model community with great contributions to the Czech Republic, he noted, lauding their efforts in preserving the Vietnamese lanague and culture, while integrating into the host society./.