PRAGUE — Media outlets in the Czech Republic ran articles that express high expectations for the upcoming official visit to Việt Nam of Prime Minister Petr Fiala, especially regarding business cooperation and opportunities for Czech businesses.

The Business Information quoted President of the Czech Chamber of Commerce Vladimir Dlouhy as saying that the PM will be accompanied by 30 representatives of large corporations and companies, including engineering firms, aircraft technology manufacturers, weapons companies and software developers.

All Asian countries that PM Fiala will visit during this trip, including Việt Nam, have great potential and can bring about opportunities for Czech businesses, he said.

According to Dlouhy, on April 21, the Czech business delegation is scheduled to have a meeting with Vietnamese firms in Hà Nội, followed by a working lunch between PM Fiala and Vietnamese officials and delegates from companies engaged in the defence industry.

Dlouhy himself expects to meet with leaders of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI). Businesses of the two countries will also hold a working session in northern Quảng Ninh province where Czech automaker Skoda plans to build a factory. PM Fiala will attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the plant on April 22.

Meanwhile, the Czech news agency CTK wrote that Việt Nam offers opportunities for Czech businesses in the auto industry and a number of other important fields. It quoted PM Fiala as describing the Indo-Pacific region as of great economic importance because it is the fastest-growing region in the world. Fiala said that it is necessary for the Czech government to support the activities of Czech businesses in the region.

According to the website Vietnamskelisty.cz which is sponsored by the European Union, Việt Nam is attractive for Czech entrepreneurs with many business opportunities in various fields. Việt Nam has a dynamic economy, a growing market and an improving business environment, it said, adding that a large workforce and low production costs make Việt Nam an ideal destination for Czech manufacturers.

As Việt Nam is one of the largest textile and garment manufacturing countries in the world, Czech businesses can take advantage of low-cost labour and quality raw materials with a decades-long textile industry in Việt Nam. The Czech side can also participate in the development of Việt Nam's food industry on the basis of a rich agricultural background. In terms of tourism, Việt Nam is considered to have great potential and is attracting more tourists, opening up opportunities for Czech enterprises to do business in the hotel and travel sectors.

In an article in the Parliamentary Journal, the Honorary President of the Czech-Việt Nam Friendship Association, Marcel Winter, wrote that Việt Nam is a beautiful, peaceful and safe country, a gateway to Asia for Czech businesses. Therefore, Czech enterprises have great opportunities in Việt Nam and need to speed up promotion and marketing in this market of 100 million people, he said. VNS