National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue received Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives Jan Bartosek

On the afternoon of May 23, at the National Assembly House, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue received Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives Jan Bartosek.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue receives Czech House of Representatives Vice President Jan Batosek. Photo: Doan Tan/VNA

The National Assembly Chairman warmly welcomed Mr. Jan Bartosek, Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives, to his working visit to Vietnam. Highly appreciating the results of the talks between the Vice President of the House of Representatives and Vice President of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai that took place the same morning, the National Assembly Chairman emphasized that the visit of Mr. Jan Bartosek and his delegation continues to contribute to strengthening the cooperative relationship between the two legislative bodies in particular and between the two countries in general.

The National Assembly Chairman emphasized that Vietnam always attaches importance to developing relations with traditional friends in the Central and Eastern European region, of which the Czech Republic is one of the very important partners. In recent times, the two countries have had very good political and diplomatic relations, with government agencies and the National Assembly continuously exchanging high-level delegations at all levels.

On this occasion, the National Assembly Chairman respectfully thanked traditional friendly countries, including the Czech Republic, for supporting Vietnam in the past struggle for national liberation and in the current process of national construction and development. Thousands of Vietnamese officials, engineers and workers have been helped by the Czech Republic to study and work. Many of them are holding important positions in the State apparatus as well as in the socio-economic life of Vietnam.

Appreciating the Czech Republic's recognition of the Vietnamese community as an ethnic minority in the Czech Republic, the National Assembly Chairman said that this is a fundamental condition, contributing to strengthening relations between the two countries and two peoples.

Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives Jan Bartosek thanked the President of the National Assembly for taking the time to meet him, and emphasized that the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries that have been developed over the past decades have brought "sweet fruits" and achieved many important results. Recalling the official visit to Vietnam by Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala in April 2023, the Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives said that the exchanges of high-level delegations at all levels demonstrated the attention and efforts of the leaders of the two countries to elevate diplomatic relations.

Mr. Jan Bartosek hopes that the two countries will soon open direct flights to promote tourism cooperation; promote trade cooperation between the two countries in a more balanced direction, the Czech Republic will soon export products such as beef, pork... to Vietnam; strengthen cooperation in the field of security, cooperation in preventing and combating all types of crimes, especially drug crimes...

At the meeting, the National Assembly Chairman agreed with the Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives that tourism cooperation is one of the areas with great potential if the two countries soon open direct flights. This will simultaneously promote trade, investment and people-to-people exchange. This is also the wish of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic.

In 2022, bilateral trade turnover between Vietnam and the Czech Republic will reach 848 million USD, an increase of 15% compared to 2021. However, this figure is still modest compared to the potential and aspirations of the two countries. Emphasizing that the two economies are complementary, the National Assembly Chairman said that the Czech Republic is a country with potential for agricultural development and can invest in agricultural processing factories for export in Vietnam. Vietnam wants to have more goods entering the EU market, including the Czech Republic, on the basis of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA); in return, Vietnam creates conditions to increase the output of Czech goods entering Vietnam.

Regarding parliamentary cooperation between the two countries, the National Assembly Chairman suggested that both sides continue to promote delegation exchanges; continue to implement the Cooperation Agreement between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Czech House of Representatives signed in 2009, and consider signing a new Cooperation Agreement in accordance with the current situation.

Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Jan Bartosek emphasized that the Vietnamese community is recognized as an ethnic minority in the Czech Republic, an inseparable part of Czech society, contributing to building a bridge of friendship between the people of the two countries. Emphasizing the interest in the field of education and training, Mr. Jan Bartosek wished to continue promoting cooperation in this field and said that the Czech Republic provides postgraduate scholarships to Vietnam. Education and training are also the foundation for developing friendship between the two countries.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue receives Czech House of Representatives Vice President Jan Batosek. Photo: Doan Tan/VNA

Expressing his agreement with the Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives on the early opening of the Czech Cultural Center in Vietnam, the National Assembly Chairman said that in the context of unpredictable fluctuations in the world economy, on the basis of the traditional friendship, strengthening cooperation between the two sides is very important. The National Assembly Chairman suggested that the Czech Republic urge the remaining countries in the EU to soon ratify the Investment Protection Agreement between Vietnam and the European Union (EVIPA) to further expand investment cooperation opportunities between the two sides; urge the European Council (EC) to soon remove the IUU "yellow card" for Vietnamese seafood.

At the meeting, the President of the National Assembly and the Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives discussed a number of international and regional issues of mutual concern. Regarding the East Sea, the President of the National Assembly and the Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives affirmed their support for resolving disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

On this occasion, through Mr. Jan Bartosek, Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue sent his regards and invitation to the President of the Chamber of Deputies and the President of the Senate of the Czech Republic to pay an official visit to Vietnam; invited the Czech Parliament to send a delegation to attend the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians scheduled from September 15 to 17, 2023 in Vietnam.

Next, Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives Jan Bartosek and members of the delegation attended the plenary session of the Vietnamese National Assembly./.

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