At the invitation of Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila and Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and a high-ranking delegation of the Government of Vietnam paid official visits to Romania and the Czech Republic from April 14-17, 2019.

During the four-day visits to the two countries, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had an intensive working program with nearly 30 activities in various fields, such as: talks with leaders of the two countries; meetings with the business community, investors, overseas Vietnamese, visits and work in different localities. The talks and consultations were frank, sincere, effective, and substantive, promoting good relations between Vietnam and Romania and the Czech Republic.

The visit to Romania was the first official visit of a Vietnamese Prime Minister since 1977. During the talks with Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, the two sides maintained that potential for bilateral cooperation is still very great and the two countries should strengthen cooperative on fields of each side’s potential and demand. They spoke highly of the co-operation between the countries’ localities over the past time; considering this as a new direction of cooperation based on the potential traditional friendship; seeing the need to coordinate in concrete, practical and effective projects. The Prime Ministers agreed to increase the exchange of high-level delegations and effectively implement existing bilateral co-operation mechanisms, especially the Intergovernmental Committee on economic cooperation and agreed to organize the 16th meeting in the middle of 2019.

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila affirmed that Romania, as the EU President in the first 6 months of 2019, would do its best and take necessary steps for the early approval of EVFTA and signing of EVIPA between Vietnam and the EU.

During his official visit to the Czech Republic, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc held talks with Prime Minister Andrej Babis. The two sides agreed to coordinate in several fields, especially in education and training, agriculture, science and technology, environment, culture-tourism, and support the early opening of direct flight from Hanoi to Prague.

The two sides agreed to continue to effectively implement the mechanism of Vietnam-Czech Republic Intergovernmental Committee on economic cooperation; encourage and create conditions for two countries' enterprises to increase contacts, connect partners, participate in trade fairs and seminars organized by each side.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis emphasized that as a close friend of Vietnam and an active member of the EU, the Czech Republic supported the strengthening of relations between Vietnam and the EU, and would urge the EU to early complete the procedures to sign EVFTA and EVIPA within one or two months.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highly appreciated the Czech Republic's support for the early approval of EVFTA and signing of EVIPA. These are important strategic agreements on economic and trade cooperation between the EU and Vietnam, especially they will help Czech and EU enterprises to access the market of over 90 million people and bring about favorable conditions for cooperation in many fields.

During talks in Romania and the Czech Republic, hosts and guest agreed to make active preparations for the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Romania, and Vietnam and the Czech Republic (1950-2020). They also exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual concern and highlighted the importance of maintaining security, peace, promoting cooperation and development in the world, ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, resolving all disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The leaders of Romania and the Czech Republic stated that the Vietnamese community has well integrated and contributed to the socio-economic development of the host countries. Hosts and guest believed that a large number of Vietnamese alumni who studied in Romania and the Czech Republic is a great advantage, an important factor that help connect Vietnam with the two countries.

After the talks, the leaders witnessed the signing of a number of cooperation documents: the Memorandum on Understanding on cooperation in the field of agriculture, veterinary and food safety between Vietnam and Romania; the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of geology, minerals, standards, measurement and quality between Vietnam and the Czech Republic. As outcomes of the visits, Vietnam - Romania, Vietnam-Czech Republic Joint Statements were issued.

Addressing the Vietnam-Romania, and the Vietnam-Czech Republic Business Forums, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the Vietnamese State creates a favorable investment environment for businesses, while enterprises themselves decide the scale, mode of cooperation, especially when Vietnam joins 12 FTAs and aims to sign EVFTA. The Prime Minister raised many questions and "issues" to promote cooperation as to why the number of Vietnamese laborers to Romania is still small when Romania’s demand for labor is very high; why Vietnamese tropical fruits and seafood have not yet reached the Romanian market when Vietnam's tropical agriculture does not compete with Romanian temperate agriculture; why the number of tourists between the two countries still very limited; whether it is possible to launch a direct flight between Bucharest and Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. The Vietnamese Prime Minister expressed his wish that at the Forum, businesses would exchange, and explore opportunities for cooperation. Vietnam welcomes and pledges to create favorable conditions for enterprises to invest in Vietnam, especially in the fields of potentials of Romania and the Czech Republic.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister also witnessed the signing of documents, namely the Memorandum of Understanding between the Vietnam and Romanian Chambers of Commerce and Industry; between Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Czech Federation of Industry and Transport and a number of cooperation agreements between Vietnamese and Czech enterprises. In the framework of the visit, the Vietnamese Prime Minister visited the Vietnamese community in Romania and the Czech Republic, the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Europe (representing the Vietnamese community in 17 European countries).

The official visits to Romania and the Czech Republic of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the high-level delegation the Government of Vietnam were a success, contributing to promoting good traditional friendship between Vietnam and East European countries, creating a new impetus for comprehensive bilateral relations.