Czech Republic to send trade missions to PH in 2024 for defense, agri partnerships

High-ranking government officials and a business delegation from the Czech Republic are expected to visit the Philippines in 2024 for possible partnerships in defense, agriculture, among others, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Czech Republic Ambassador to the Philippines Karel Hejc on Tuesday presented his credentials to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“I’m pleased to mention that just in the next year, we will start here with the visit of the foreign committee of our parliament on so much important defense and security issues of the regional geopolitics,” he said.

Hejc added that the Czech Republic is also planning on bringing to the Philippines their agriculture minister together with business delegations composed of companies interested in investing in Manila.

The Czech Republic was able to boost its defense and security industry with its geographic position in Europe and role in past regional conflicts, making it one of the producers of the finest war instruments, the envoy said.

Defense manufacturing sector is Czech Republic’s flagship industry, building fighter jets, airplanes and other equipment as well as offering cooperation in training, maintenance, and upgrades, he added.

Marcos told Hejc that the Philippine government is focusing on agriculture to transform the economy as well as on defense and security considering that the country is facing a “very thorny” regional problem.

“Your country has already been of assistance to us in proposing some vessels that we could use for the securing of our maritime waters, our maritime territory. And as you must know that this is becoming a very thorny problem that we are facing,” Marcos said.

“Not only the Philippines but I think the entire region, even extending up to the Indo-Pacific. So, there’s much that we need to attend to but I think that if we are able to have close partners and alliances, that we'll always be a very important part of our foreign policy,” he added.

As of December 2022, according to the PCO, an estimated 4,864 Filipinos are in the Czech Republic.

Most of them are working in the processing industry, automotive industry, repairs of appliances, manufacturing, IT communications, real estate, health, wellness, and household service. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA Integrated News