President of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman arrived in Hanoi on June 6 to start his three-day State visit to Vietnam at the invitation of President Tran Dai Quang.

President Zeman’s delegation includes his spouse Ivana Zemanova, Minister of Justice Robert Pelikan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vaclav Kolaja, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Jiri Koliba, Deputy Minister of Interior Petr Mlsna and several other officials.

President Zeman, born in 1944, took office in 2013. He served as Prime Minister of the Czech Republic from 1998-2002.

The visit aims to affirm the Czech Republic’s wish to enhance friendship and cooperation with Vietnam, as well as the country’s desire to make bilateral ties more extensive and effective.

The visit is also a chance for the two sides to seek measures to boost bilateral partnership in all fields, especially economy, trade, investment, education-training and labour export and discuss regional and international issues of shared concern.

Czech Republic considers Vietnam key partner in SE Asia

Rudolf Jindrak, head of the Czech Presidential Office's foreign section 

The visit of Czech President Milos Zeman to Vietnam is one of his most important overseas trips in 2017, as the country is a key partner of the Czech Republic in Southeast Asia.

Rudolf Jindrak, head of the Czech Presidential Office's foreign section, made the remark at an exclusive interview for the Vietnam News Agency. 

He said this is the first visit to Vietnam by Milos Zeman since taking office as President of the Czech Republic, adding that Zeman was to the country in the past as Prime Minister.

The official noted that the visit aims at boosting bilateral cooperation across sectors, particularly trade and tourism.

In 2016, about 14,000 Czech tourists arrived in Vietnam.

Stressing the time-honoured friendship with Vietnam, Jindrak said to the Czech Republic, Vietnam is also a gateway to Southeast Asia.

The Czech Republic is the only country in Europe has recognised Vietnamese among its ethnic minority groups, he stated, adding that the community has contributed significantly to local socio-economic development and to bilateral relations.

Vietnamese expatriates are the third biggest ethnic minority group of the Czech Republic.

The three-day official visit to Vietnam made by Czech President Milos Zeman began on June 6.

Vietnam, Czech have huge cooperation potential

Jaroslav Hanak, President of the Czech Confederation of Industry and Transport  

Vietnam has an important position in the external policy of the Czech Republic in Southeast Asia, particularly in economic diplomacy, a Czech official has said.

In an interview with Vietnam News Agency ahead of the state visit of Czech President Milos Zeman to Vietnam from June 6-8, Director of the Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Culture Petr Hnizdo underlined growing bilateral ties between Vietnam and the Czech Republic with exchanges of high-level delegations.

He mentioned the recent visit of Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan to his nation in April, and the upcoming visit of the Czech President to Vietnam, saying that they play an important part in creating dialogue mechanisms and strengthening mutual understanding between the two nations.

Vietnam’s economic development is attractive to Czech exporters, particularly in technologies, environment and health care, Hnizdo said, adding that the overseas Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic contributes to cultural exchanges and mutual understanding.

In a separate interview granted to Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent in Prague, Jaroslav Hanak, President of the Czech Confederation of Industry and Transport spoke highly of economic ties between the two countries, affirming that Vietnam is a traditional partner of the Czech Republic.

He underlined the potential for economic, trading and investment cooperation between the two nations, particularly in energy, the manufacturing of machinery and means of transport, infrastructure, environmental protection and information and communication technology.

According to Hanak, in the upcoming visit, the President will be accompanied by a delegation of 60 enterprises in energy, ICT, pharmaceuticals, water resource management, tourism and services.

The maintenance of economic and political dialogues between the two nations’ leaders facilitates the two countries’ economic relations, he said.

VNA