National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue receives Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives

At the meeting, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue highly appreciated the visit of Vice Chairman Jan Batosek and the Czech House of Representatives delegation; emphasized that Vietnam attaches great importance to strengthening relations with traditional friends, including the Czech Republic; and believed that the delegation's visit will contribute to strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two countries' legislative bodies in particular and the two countries' relations in general.

The National Assembly Chairman emphasized that Vietnam and the Czech Republic have good political relations. Regarding parliamentary cooperation, before the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Assemblies/Parliaments of the two countries regularly exchanged high-level delegations. The cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Czech House of Representatives was signed by both sides in 2009.

Vietnam thanks traditional friends, including the Czech Republic, for supporting Vietnam in the past struggle to defend the Fatherland as well as in the current national construction and development. In particular, the Czech Republic has helped Vietnam train thousands of officials who are currently holding many important positions in the state apparatus. Sharing that he has studied in the Czech Republic and Slovakia since the 1980s, the National Assembly Chairman said that he always considers the Czech Republic and Slovakia as his second homeland. In 2013, the Czech Republic recognized the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic as one of the ethnic minorities in the Czech Republic. This is very special, of great significance, and fundamental to continue to consolidate and strengthen relations between the two countries.

Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives Jan Bartosek said that the relationship between the two countries has developed strongly in recent times, has borne "sweet fruit" and both sides wish to promote it further. On the Czech side, this desire was clearly demonstrated through the visit to Vietnam by the Czech Prime Minister in 2022, in which the Czech Prime Minister proposed upgrading the Vietnam-Czech relationship to a strategic partnership; previously, there were visits by the Minister of Industry and Trade, the Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic...

The Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives affirmed that the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic is an inseparable part of the Czech Republic; said that the Czech Parliament, Government and people are very proud of the decision to recognize the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic as a Czech ethnic minority; hoped that the two countries would continue to have an agreement on training cooperation, and that the Czech Republic would provide postgraduate scholarships for Vietnamese researchers.

The Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives proposed opening a direct flight soon to promote tourism cooperation; said that many Czech people consider Vietnam an ideal tourist destination with beautiful scenery, delicious food, and rich culture.

The Czech side wishes to establish a Czech Cultural Center in Hanoi; promote trade cooperation between the two countries in a more balanced direction, especially with agricultural products such as beef, pork, etc.; strengthen cooperation in the field of security, cooperation in preventing and combating all types of crimes, especially drug crimes.

Emphasizing that the Czech Republic supports Vietnam's viewpoint and stance on the East Sea issue, the Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives believes that Vietnam and the Czech Republic are countries that always respect the United Nations Charter and international law because where there is peace and stability, there can be development.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue thanked the Czech Republic for supporting the viewpoints and stances of Vietnam and ASEAN in ensuring maritime security and safety in the East Sea on the basis of compliance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

Expressing his support for the opening of a direct flight route between the two countries, the National Assembly Chairman said that this will be realized in the near future because the demand for travel, cultural exchange, investment cooperation... between the two sides is increasing. This is also the desire of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic.

Regarding the proposal to extend visas for Czech citizens, the National Assembly Chairman said that at the current session, the Vietnamese National Assembly will amend and supplement two laws related to exit and entry, including the issue of entry visas. The National Assembly Chairman also supported the policy of establishing a Czech Cultural Center in Hanoi, and suggested that agencies of the two countries discuss and promote this issue.

On this occasion, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue respectfully invited the President of the Senate and the President of the House of Representatives of the Czech Republic to visit Vietnam soon; the two sides can update and re-sign the cooperation agreement between the two countries' legislative bodies to suit the new situation; and hoped that the Czech Parliament would send a delegation of young parliamentarians to attend the Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians hosted by the Vietnamese National Assembly next September.

* On this occasion, the Vice President of the Czech House of Representatives and members of the Delegation attended the plenary session of the Vietnamese National Assembly.

* On the same morning, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai held talks with Vice Chairman of the Czech House of Representatives Jan Bartosek.

WIN

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