Viet Nam and the Czech Republic have agree to enhance the operation of their intergovernmental economic cooperation committee while facilitating and encouraging their firms’ investment in an effort to boost their two-way trade and partnership.

The agreement was reached in Prague on July 24 at meetings between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and senior Czech officials, including Deputy PM Pavel Belobradek, Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek, and Minister of Industry and Trade Jan Mladek.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and his Czech counterpart Lubomir Zaoralek (Source: VNA)

Deputy PM and FM Minh proposed the Czech side increase imports of such Vietnamese goods as rice, rubber, coffee and seafood.

The Czech side acknowledged and pledged to consider Viet Nam’s bids to run for a seat in the UN Economic and Social Council for the 2016-18 term and the UN Security Council for the 2020-21 term.

It also committed to supporting the early conclusion of an EU-Vietnam free trade agreement while informing that it will soon approve the Viet Nam-EU Partnership and Cooperation (PCA) that Viet Nam and the union had signed.

Deputy PM and FM Minh affirmed Viet Nam’s view of stepping up traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with the Czech Republic and expressed his belief in further development of bilateral and multilateral connection in all aspects.

The hosts highly valued Viet Nam’s renewal achievements, expressing their belief that the Southeast Asian nation has been the crucial factor in peace, stability and development in the region.

The Czech Republic always considers Viet Nam an important partner in Southeast Asia, they affirmed.

Regarding the East Sea issue, FM Lubomir Zaoralek affirmed that the Czech Republic backs the settlement of all disputes by peaceful measures in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Minh thanked the Czech government for its recognition of the Vietnamese community there as the European country’s 14th ethnic minority group, while asking them to continue facilitating the Vietnamese’s stable settlement.

Both sides said they believe that regular visits by leaders of the two countries would deepen the Viet Nam-Czech ties, meeting aspirations and benefits of the two peoples.

They expressed wishes that President Truong Tan Sang would pay an official visit to the European nation at an appropriate time, expecting it to motivate all-round cooperation between the two countries.

While in the Czech Republic, Deputy PM and FM Minh meet with representatives of the Vietnamese community and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy.

(Source: VNA)