Prague (VNA) – Prime MinisterNguyen Xuan Phuc met with the Executive Board of the Union of VietnameseAssociations in Europe (UVAE) in Prague on April 16 as part of his visit to theCzech Republic.

The leader lauded the union for itsactivities to support the homeland, and expressed his hope that overseasVietnamese will help the Vietnamese Government further develop the country.

The Vietnamese Party and State consider overseasVietnamese an indispensible part of the nation, and create conditions for themto invest in the homeland, he said.

According to UVAE President Hoang Dinh Thang,the union was established in 2016, with an executive board of 30 members from17 European countries.

Over the past two years, the union hasjoined efforts to organise community activities at the regional level, he said.

The union has paid attention to externalaffairs, he said, adding that it has maintained relations with members of theEuropean Parliament (EP).

Representatives of the Executive Boardvisited the EP twice in Belgium’s Brussels and France’s Strasbourg, duringwhich they called on parliamentarians to support efforts of the Vietnamesecommunity in Europe in integrating into host countries and preserving theirculture, along with some issues of Vietnamese’s concern like the EU-VietnamFree Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the removal of the European Commission (EC)’s“yellow card” warning for Vietnamese seafood.

Thang noted his hope that the VietnameseGovernment will roll out better policies to encourage local companies,organisations and individuals to invest in the Czech Republic.

The same day, PM Phuc met with MarcelWinter, Honorary President of the Czech-Vietnam Friendship Association.

The leader applauded the association for itscontributions to the friendship between the two countries, and noted his hopeit will continue to coordinate with the Vietnamese Embassy.

He described Winter, who has visited Vietnam48 times and worked hard to assist the Vietnamese community in the CzechRepublic, as a symbol of the friendship.

For his part, Winter expressed his hope thatthere will soon be a direct flight between Prague and Vietnam.

While in the Czech Republic, PM Phuc visitedthe staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in the country, during which he urged theembassy to carry forward its role in introducing Vietnam’s foreign investmentattraction policies and helping raise trade between the two countries. 

The embassy was also asked to protect the rightsof Vietnamese citizens in the  hostcountry, maintain relations with local authorities and relevant organisationsand promote Vietnam to Czech people and businesses.

Also on April 16, PM Phuc met Jiri Smejc, GroupExecutive Chairman of Home Credit.

At the meeting, the leader said Vietnam ispushing ahead with business environment improvement efforts, which have beenacknowledged by major international organisations and groups.

The Vietnamese Government is ready to removedifficulties facing businesses, including Home Credit, he said.

Vietnam will step up cooperation with theCzech Republic in various spheres, the PM stressed, adding this would be anopportunity for Czech investors.

Jiri Smejc said since it entered Vietnam in2005, Home Credit has become the largest Czech investor in the country inpersonal loans, with half a million customers.

The company has decided to expand itsinvestment in Vietnam, which has a stable investment environment, and wants tooperate in the banking sector, he said.-VNA