Workers process tra fish for export. Fishery products are among Vietnam's key exports to the EU. (Photo: VNA)Talking to the Vietnameseambassadors to the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Belgium at the event inMikulov town of the Czech Republic on July 8 - 9, Zahradil said the EP has passed areport on the Indo-Pacific strategy in the area of trade and investment whichhighlights the situation in the Indo-Pacific region and stresses the importanceof the EU’s free trade agreements with partners in the region.
Notably, he said, the reportcalls on EU members to ratify the EU - Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement(EVIPA) so that it can take effect early and create optimal conditions forpromoting the EU’s investment in the region and Vietnam.
Zahradil, a representative ofthe Czech Republic’s Civic Democratic Party (ODS) at the EP, noted Vietnamholds a special position in this report when it is a member of both theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Comprehensive andProgressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
He also said he is impressedwith Vietnam’s economic development achievements, particularly the GDP growthof 7.72% in the second quarter and inflation kept under 3%.
Addressing the meeting,Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Thai Xuan Dung said Vietnam and theEU have paid attention to intensively and extensively developing theircomprehensive partnership and cooperation.
The EU is currently the fifthlargest trading partner and the second biggest importer of Vietnam. Bilateraltrade grew 14.8% to 63.6 billion USD in 2021 despite impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,he noted.
Zahradil told Vietnam NewsAgency that as Vietnamese people in the Czech Republic is one of the largestVietnamese communities in the EU, he has the responsibility for consolidatingVietnam’s relations with the Czech Republic and the EU as a whole.
Vietnam holds a specialposition in Southeast Asia when it is the only country to have a free tradeagreement (EVFTA) and an investment protection agreement (EVIPA) with the EU,an advantage for it to capitalise on development opportunities, according tohim.
He said Vietnam and the CzechRepublic boast long-standing and sound relations, adding that serving in the EUCouncil’s presidency from now to the end of 2022, his country will have morechances to further promote bilateral and EU ties with Vietnam./.
VNA
