Prague (VNA) – Senior leaders of the Czech Republic affirmedthat the European country considers Vietnam its leading important partner inSoutheast Asia while receiving Politburo member and permanent member of theCommunist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran QuocVuong in Prague on October 23.

 Vuong paid a visit to the Czech Republicfrom October 22-24 at the invitation of VojtěchFilip, Vice Chairman of the Czech Parliament’s Chamber of Deputies and Chairmanof the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM).

Hemet with Jan Hamáček, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic,Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD);and Karel Havlíček, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade.He also held talks with KSCM leaders to promote traditional friendship betweenthe two countries more practically and effectively.

At the meetings, the two sides shared their views on the unceasing developmentof friendship and collaboration between Vietnam and the Czech Republic over therecent past, with regular high-level political dialogues.

Vietnam wishes to enhance cooperation with the Czech Republic through Partychannels and people-to-people diplomacy, Vuong said.

The hosts, for their part, said the Czech Republic wants to develop thefriendship and cooperation with Vietnam, especially in economy-trade anddefence-security, and agreed to join hands with the Vietnamese side to organiseactivities celebrating the 70th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties in2020.

Vuong and Jan Hamáček discussed measures to step up bilateral collaboration,particularly in crime combat and citizen protection.

Vuong called on the Czech Republic to facilitate the travelling of Vietnameseand Czech citizens in order to boost tourism development, people-to-peopleexchanges and trade links between the two countries.

Hamáček said the Czech Republic will roll out a more open policy on visa grantto foreigners, including Vietnamese.

Regarding the East Sea issue, Vuong thanked the Czech Republic for its supportfor Vietnam’s stance on settling East Sea disputes by peaceful measures, inline with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention onthe Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS), and ensuring security, safety and freedom ofnavigation and aviation in the waters.

At a meeting with Karel Havlíček, the two sides looked into measures to boostcooperation in economy, trade, education and defence equipment procurement.

Vuong rejoiced at the fruitful bilateral ties over the past time, with two-waytrade reaching nearly 1.2 billion USD. However, he said, the economic-tradecooperation has yet to match their potential and strength.

Havlíček told his guest that the Czech Republic wants to sign a cooperationagreement with Vietnam in geological survey, mining; scientific research,education; high-tech production and transfer, and defence-security.

At the meeting with Vojtěch Filip as well as talks with KSCM FirstDeputy Chairman Petr Simunek and Deputy Chairman Vaclav Ort, the sides alsosought specific measures to enhance bilateral relations, covering the Partychannel.

Vuong said Vietnam wishes to strengthen the time-honored friendship with theCzech Republic in all channels, especially with the KSCM, while developingcooperative ties with parties in the ruling alliance and other parties thathold important roles in the Czech political arena to create a firm politicalfoundation for more comprehensive bilateral cooperation.

The hosts expressed their wish that the CPV and the KSCM will regularlyexchange information about the two Parties, countries and the global politicalsituation to strengthen their cooperation.

Also on October 23, Vuong visited the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy. OnOctober 22, he attended the ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of theVietnamese Association in the country./.