Nguyen Muoi, Chairman of the Vietnam-Czech Republic Friendship Association in HCM City, said the two countries boast a time-tested friendship that has overcome ups and downs in history to keep developing. The Vietnamese people always keep in mind the precious support that the people and government of then Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic now have given to Vietnam’s struggle for national liberation in the past and national construction and defence at present.

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Delegates posing for a joint photo at the event

Bilateral relations have enjoyed strong progress in politics, diplomacy, economy and trade in recent years, he noted, adding that many high-ranking delegations have made mutual visits with the most recent being a trip to Vietnam by Vojtech Filip, Vice Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech parliament.

Bilateral trade has continually increased over the past years, reaching 1.02 billion USD in 2017 and expected to hit some 1.2 billion USD in 2018, Muoi added.

For her part, Olga Chojnacka, First Secretary and head of the consular division at the Czech Embassy in Vietnam, appreciated the HCM City people’s sentiment towards people of Czechoslovakia in the past and the Czech Republic at present. She considered this a favourable basis for their countries’ traditional friendship to thrive in multiple spheres, thus bringing practical benefits to the two peoples.

She also expressed her hope that the Vietnam-Czech Republic Friendship Association and the Vietnamese who used to study and work in her country to continue to be a bridge helping to enhance mutual understanding and solidarity between the two sides.

The diplomat also called on them to step up economic, trade and investment activities between Vietnamese and Czech businesses to tap into the countries’ potential and advantages.

Source: VNA