Experts Discussed the Past, Present, and Future of Czech–Vietnamese Relations at CEVRO University

On Tuesday, 23 June, a panel discussion entitled "Czechia and Vietnam: Past, Present, and Future" took place at CEVRO University in Prague. The event was organized by the Center for Asia-Pacific Studies (CAPS). The discussion offered an overview of the development of Czech–Vietnamese relations, their current state, and prospects for further cooperation in diplomacy, trade, business, and people-to-people relations.

The event was opened by Dr. Jan Železný, the CAPS Executive Director, followed by welcoming remarks in English delivered by H.E. Dương Hoài Nam, Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the Czech Republic. The panel then featured Hynek Kmoníček, former Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Vietnam; Cong Tu Pham, Chairman of the Association of Czech Citizens of Vietnamese Origin; and Jan Sechter, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade. The discussion was moderated by Jan Zahradil, Chairman of the CAPS Advisory Board.

The panel discussion was followed by a Q&A session, during which participants engaged with the speakers on the future direction of Czech–Vietnamese relations, economic opportunities, and the challenges associated with the development of the strategic partnership.

"Today we are strategic partners, which is both remarkable and, in a way, rather bizarre. We became strategic partners with communist Vietnam while being a member of NATO. Back in the 1970s or 1980s, no one on either side would have believed that possible. This partnership is like a relationship after seventy years – you already know what you can expect from your grandmother and what you cannot," said Hynek Kmoníček, former Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Vietnam.

"Over the next ten years, we should diversify Czech exports to Vietnam so that they are not concentrated in just one commodity. In the past, it was mainly the automotive industry; today, it is largely the defence industry. These currently constitute the main components of Czech exports to Vietnam," Kmoníček added.

The discussion demonstrated that Czech–Vietnamese relations are entering a new phase in which, alongside traditional diplomatic ties, economic cooperation, innovation, and people-to-people contacts are becoming increasingly important.