The event, which was organised by the Chambers ofCommerce and Industry from Vietnam, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, wasalso attended by Czech President Milos Zeman.
Addressing an audience of 500 companies from Vietnam, the CzechRepublic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary, President Sang said a number ofbilateral and multilateral trade agreements, including the EuropeanUnion-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement ( EVFTA), are expected to be signedbetween Vietnam and other nations in the near future, which will lay thefoundation for promoting trade-investment-tourism activities betweenVietnam and other countries in the region and the world.
With a population of 90 million and a significant share of the500-million-strong Southeast Asian market, Vietnam offers investors manyincentive policies, he confirmed.
PresidentSang also believed that a large number amounting to tens of thousands ofVietnamese who used to study in the Czech Republic and Slovakia wouldserve as a bridge for friendship, trade and investment cooperation amongthe three countries.
Czech President MilosZeman said strengthening the traditional relationship between the twocountries is the basis for boosting cooperation in economics, trade,investment and tourism.
He also highlighted thesuccessful integration of Vietnamese community into the Czech societywhere they are recognised as the 14th ethnic minority.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh recommendedmeasures to increase the number of tourists and promote tourisminvestment and business between Vietnam and the Czech Republic,including boosting tourism at all levels, improving visa policies, andincreasing coordination in market research and development of tourismproducts.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Tradeof the Czech Republic Jiri Havlicek said the economic relationshipbetween Vietnam and the Czech Republic has developed strongly over thepast years with the trade volume surpassing the 500 million USD mark in2013.
As of the end of 2014, the Czech Republichad 36 investment projects in Vietnam with a combined investment capitalof 64 million USD focusing on garments and textiles, food processing,mechanical manufacturing, building materials and mining, according tothe Deputy Minister.
Havlicek also highlightedcooperation prospects between the two countries in a number of sectorssuch as energy, infrastructure, transport vehicles and defence industryand health equipment.
On the occasion, theVietnamese and Czech Presidents witnessed the signing of documents oncooperation between the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and twoCzech partners and between the Bank for Investment and Development ofVietnam (BIDV) and the bank Eximbanka of Slovakia and CEB of the CzechRepublic.
In 2012, the Czech Republic announcedits export strategy through 2020, placing Vietnam—the only country inSoutheast Asia—among its 12 prior markets.
The Eastern European country has continually provided official development assistance to Vietnam, totalling 18 million USD.-VNA