Two Prime Ministers Agree to Elevate Vietnam-Slovakia Relations to a Strategic Partnership

On the morning of April 13, at the Government Office, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung of Vietnam and Prime Minister Robert Fico of the Slovak Republic held a press conference following a successful round of talks and the signing ceremony for cooperation documents between agencies of the two countries.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung welcomed Prime Minister Robert Fico and the high-level Slovak delegation on their official visit to Vietnam, emphasizing the traditional friendship and trust between the two countries.

Vietnam-Slovakia upgrade to a Strategic Partnership

The visit took place at a significant time for Vietnam, shortly after the consolidation of leadership at the highest level. Prime Minister Hung said the Slovak leader is the first European Union (EU) prime minister to visit Vietnam since Vietnam and the EU upgraded their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

With a shared vision to advance bilateral cooperation into a new phase, the two sides signed a joint statement upgrading Vietnam-Slovakia relations to a Strategic Partnership. The prime ministers directed the foreign ministries to develop an action plan under the Strategic Partnership framework to create a qualitative shift in cooperation, benefiting both peoples and enterprises.

To implement the Strategic Partnership, the two sides exchanged six cooperation documents covering politics-diplomacy, defense, culture, nuclear energy, metrology and quality standards, and local cooperation. Later in the afternoon, enterprises from both countries are expected to sign more than ten additional agreements in areas including energy, security, health, tourism, and shipbuilding.

The partnership will be implemented in accordance with the laws of each country and international law.

Economic, trade and investment cooperation

The two sides committed to turning economic, trade, and investment cooperation into tangible outcomes. They agreed to promote the effectiveness of the Intergovernmental Committee mechanism and encourage specialized subcommittees to address barriers and obstacles promptly.

Vietnam welcomed and will facilitate greater participation by Slovak companies and investors in Vietnam in sectors where Slovakia has strengths, including supporting industries, mechanical engineering, the automotive industry, chemicals, healthcare, agriculture, and food processing. Vietnam will also encourage and support large Vietnamese enterprises to invest in Slovakia, particularly in information technology and electric vehicles.

The two governments will coordinate closely to promote effective implementation of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and accelerate realization of the Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), aiming to create a transparent, safe, and sustainable business environment for enterprises of both countries.

Defense-security and public safety

Both sides also pledged to strengthen defense-security cooperation in line with the high level of political trust between the two countries. They agreed to promote substantive cooperation in defense and security, cross-border crime prevention, high-tech crime, cybersecurity, and non-traditional security.

Science-technology, innovation and digital transformation

The two sides agreed to expand science-technology cooperation, innovation, and digital transformation. Collaboration will include cutting-edge fields such as digital transformation, semiconductors, quantum technology, and robotics.

Education, training and people-to-people exchanges

Cooperation will also be expanded in education and training, labor, people-to-people exchanges, and culture-tourism. The two sides agreed to restore and expand scholarship programs and establish direct networks between leading universities and research institutes.

They also agreed to begin early negotiations on a new labor agreement to protect workers’ rights and promote mobility of skilled labor from Vietnam to Slovakia.

Prime Minister Hung said Vietnam appreciates Slovakia’s recognition of the Vietnamese community as the 14th ethnic minority, noting that this provides a solid legal basis for people to settle and further strengthens friendship between the two nations.

Slovakia’s priorities and expectations

Prime Minister Robert Fico said Slovakia is ready to share experiences and knowledge on nuclear energy. He noted that Vietnam is not only a friend but also Slovakia’s largest trading partner in Southeast Asia, and Slovakia hopes to increase exports to Vietnam.

Fico said a large Slovak business delegation would participate in the visit and that exchanges between enterprises are expected to produce concrete results, with economic activities supported by both governments. He also expressed willingness to promote direct flights between Slovakia and Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City to boost tourism.

On education, both sides can train more experts in nuclear energy and other fields, and Slovakia hopes to see more Vietnamese youth study in Slovakia. Fico also invited Vietnamese leaders to visit Slovakia in the near future.

Prime Minister Hung expressed confidence that, with strong political will from both governments and consensus from enterprises and people, the Vietnam-Slovakia Strategic Partnership will contribute to prosperity for both peoples and positively support peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world.

Source: Ha Van, Government Reporter