President Truong Tan Sang will make a four-day State visit to the Czech Republic from May 10-13 at the invitation of Czech President Milos Zeman.

The visit aims to enhance the growing friendship and promote multifaceted cooperation between the two nations.

Vietnam and the Czech Republic established diplomatic ties 65 years ago. The two sides have since maintained regular all-level delegation exchanges and coordinated at international forums. Their Ministries of Foreign Affairs signed a cooperation protocol on the occasion of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh’s 2014 visit to the Czech Republic.

In recent years, bilateral trade ties have seen positive growth but remain limited in relation to their potential.

Vietnam’s main exports to the Czech Republic include coffee, pepper, fresh and dried fruits, peanuts, green tea, rice, rubber, seafood, footwear, textiles, handicraft products and computer spare parts while importing machines, chemicals, dairy products, medicine and plastic.

The Czech Republic considers Vietnam one of the 12 markets with the highest potential with trade hitting 670 million USD in 2014.

The Eastern European country now has 36 investment projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of 64 million USD, focusing on real estate, beer production, electrical equipment and construction materials.

Education and tourism connection between the two countries have also seen positive results, with the signing of an educational cooperation programme in 2008 and a Memorandum of Understanding on tourism links between the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Regional Development of the Czech Republic in 2007.

The Czech Republic also provides regular official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam.

At present, around 60,000 Vietnamese people are residing in the Czech Republic, observing local laws, integrating into the host country and contributing to the development of Czech society.

VNA