As an official member of the European Union (EU), the Czech Republic will always be an active ally of Vietnam and support the latter in all agreements under negotiations with the EU, said a Czech trade official.

Czech Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Milan Horvoka made the remark at the Vietnam-Czech Republic Business Forum in Hanoi on Sept. 27.

Over the past time, trade turnover between the two countries saw a steady growth. The figure rose from 100 million USD in 2005 to 294 million USD in 2008 and reached 300 million USD one year later.

Considering Vietnam as a traditional market with many advantages, Czech enterprises have so far invested about 35 million USD in production of glass, crystal, electrical appliances and construction materials.

The Czech Republic always attends conferences of international donors to Vietnam and has donated about 18 million USD in official development assistance (ODA) to the Southeast Asian country.

However, Horvoka expressed his wish that both governments and business circles of the two countries would exert more efforts to further boost bilateral trade cooperation to meet their potential.

Another delegate to the forum, Czech Deputy Defence Minister Jan Fulik proposed that boosting cooperation, trade exchange and training in national defence between the two countries should be considered as a priority.

Visiting Vietnam to attend the on-going 2 nd meeting of the Vietnam-Czech Republic Inter-governmental Commission on Trade and Scientific Cooperation, Horvoka and Czech governmental officials are accompanied by a large delegation of businesses in banking, construction, mining, energy, mechanical engineering, security facilities, health, biotechnology, chemistry, food, garment and textiles.

Within the framework of the forum, PSJ of the Czech Republic signed a contract on building a shipyard in the northern province of Hai Phong with Nosco-Vinalines of Vietnam .

PSJ also signed a memorandum of understanding on a plant to repair ships in Phu My, Tan Thanh, the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau with Vinalines Shipyard of Vietnam .

The 2 nd meeting of the Vietnam-Czech Republic Inter-governmental Commission on Trade and Scientific Cooperation will run until Sept. 29./.