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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and spouse Le Thi Bich Tran arrive at Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague. Photo: Minh Nhat.

On the evening of January 18 (local time), after concluding a successful visit to Poland, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, accompanied by his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran and a Vietnamese delegation, arrived at Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague to begin an official visit to the Czech Republic.

The visit, taking place from January 18–20, is at the invitation of Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala.

At the airport, the Vietnamese delegation was welcomed by Czech Deputy Foreign Minister Jiri Kozák, Czech Ambassador to Vietnam Hynek Kmonicek, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Duong Hoai Nam, along with embassy staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic.

During the visit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Petr Fiala and meet other Czech leaders. He will also engage with the Communist Party of the Czech Republic and Czech friendship organizations.

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Ambassador Duong Hoai Nam introduces key attendees to Prime Minister Chinh at the welcoming ceremony. Photo: Minh Nhat.
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Members of the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic greet the Prime Minister and his spouse. Photo: Minh Nhat.

This marks the first visit by a Vietnamese Prime Minister to the Czech Republic since the COVID-19 pandemic and the first visit by a foreign leader to the country in 2025. It also signals the start of a series of events commemorating 75 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Czech Republic.

The Prime Minister will meet with embassy staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community, participate in the "Homeland Spring 2025" program, extend Lunar New Year greetings to overseas Vietnamese, and visit prominent members of the Vietnamese diaspora. Meetings with key Vietnamese businesses operating in the Czech Republic and Europe are also on the agenda.

The visit will include the signing of several agreements to enhance bilateral cooperation in education, training, and sports. Discussions will also explore the possibility of establishing a direct flight route between the two countries and creating cultural centers in both nations to boost trade, investment, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.

Vietnam and the Czech Republic established diplomatic relations on February 2, 1950. The Czech Republic was among the first countries to recognize Vietnam diplomatically. Over the years, the relationship has grown into a model of strong bilateral ties.

The Czech Republic is one of Vietnam’s leading trade partners in Central and Eastern Europe, while Vietnam is the Czech Republic’s most important partner in ASEAN.

In 2024, bilateral trade reached $2.046 billion, an 80% increase compared to 2023. The Czech Republic currently has 41 projects in Vietnam, with a total investment of $91 million, ranking it 50th among 147 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.

Beyond trade, the two nations have significant potential for expanding cooperation in areas such as green energy, digital transformation, renewable energy, and mining. Collaboration also extends to defense, security, science, technology, culture, and sports.

The Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic, numbering around 100,000, is well-integrated and actively contributes to strengthening the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries. The community is recognized as an official ethnic minority in the Czech Republic.

Tran Thuong, Minh Nhat