Prague (VNA) – A high-level delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) led by Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh paid a working visit to the Czech Republic from September 18-21, aiming at consolidating friendship and expanding cooperation between the two countries.
On September 19, Thanh held meetings with President of Senate of the Czech Parliament Milos Vystrcil and Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech parliament Jan Skopecek.
The Czech parliamentary leaders highlighted the importance of the visit as Vietnam and the Czech Republic mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2025, and established a Strategic Partnership framework in January 2025. They affirmed that the Czech Republic values its relationship with Vietnam, which they see as an important partner and a potential market in Southeast Asia.
The leaders of both chambers also praised the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic, describing them as hardworking, diligent, well-respected, and considering them an integral part of Czech society.
Thanh stressed that Vietnam always attaches great importance to strengthening its traditional friendship with the Czech Republic, one of its priority partners in Central and Eastern Europe. She recalled the valuable support of the Czech people for Vietnam’s past struggle for independence and its current development efforts.
Both sides welcomed the rapid growth of bilateral trade, which exceeded 2 billion USD in 2024, up 78% from the previous year. Czech companies are showing greater interest in expand business operations in Vietnam, including a major car manufacturing project by Skoda Auto. They agreed that there remains vast potential for cooperation in renewable energy, machinery, supporting industries, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and high technology.
The two sides also discussed measures to implement the newly established Strategic Partnership effectively, making full use of existing mechanisms such as the Vietnam–Czech Intergovernmental Committee on Economic Cooperation. They emphasised cooperation across politics, diplomacy, labour, education, defence, people-to-people exchanges, and parliamentary affairs, and expressed support for the early opening of a direct flight between the two countries.
Thanh thanked the Czech authorities for their support to the Vietnamese community and called for further favourable conditions to help them integrate deeply into the Czech society. She also suggested an increase in the quota for Vietnamese workers. At the same time, she informed her hosts that Vietnam grants Czech tourists visa-free stays of up to 45 days starting from August 15, 2025, and asked for facilitation of visa procedures for Vietnamese citizens traveling to the Czech Republic.
Skopecek pledged to hasten the ratification of the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and to encourage the European Commission to remove the “yellow card” on Vietnam’s seafood exports.
On parliamentary relations, Thanh proposed more exchanges between legislative leaders, committees, and parliamentary friendship groups to share lawmaking and oversight experience, and to support each other at multilateral parliamentary forums. She welcomed the Czech Senate President’s plan to visit Vietnam later this year and extended an invitation for the leadership of the Chamber of Deputies to visit at a suitable time.
Earlier, upon arrival in Prague on September 18, the delegation visited the Vietnamese Embassy and met with embassy staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community. Thanh attended a ceremony to present Party membership badges to overseas Vietnamese Party members.
During the trip, the delegation also visited the city of Cheb, where Mayor Jan Vrba welcomed them at City Hall. The mayor stressed the close relationship between local residents and the Vietnamese community, noting that Vietnamese people in Cheb have become the city's friends, students, workers, and trusted partners.
He also praised the achievements of the younger Vietnamese generation in education, culture, and sports, saying their diligence and courtesy enrich local life./.
