Promoting economic, trade and investment cooperation commensurate with the two countries’ potential was a key focus highlighted by Viet Nam and the Czech Republic at the 8th Session of the Viet Nam - Czech Republic Intergovernmental Committee on Economic Cooperation, held in Prague, the Czech Republic, on September 17, 2026.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Phan Thi Thang, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade and Co-Chair of the Vietnamese side of the Intergovernmental Committee, together with representatives from Vietnamese ministries and businesses. Also attending were Duong Hoai Nam, Ambassador of Viet Nam to the Czech Republic, and officials from the Trade Office of the Embassy of Viet Nam.

The Czech delegation was headed by Jan Sechter, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, together with officials representing relevant ministries, the Czech trade promotion agency and Czech businesses.

In his capacity as Co-Chair of the Czech side of the Intergovernmental Committee and on behalf of the leadership of the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade, Jan Sechter, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, welcomed the Vietnamese delegation to the session.

Promoting economic, trade and investment cooperation

In her remarks, Head of the Vietnamese delegation, Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang, briefed the Czech side on several key aspects of Viet Nam’s economic development in recent years. The traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries have continued to strengthen and develop. In particular, strong political ties have been reflected in recent exchanges of high-level delegations, creating momentum for the development of economic, trade and investment relations between the two countries.

The Vietnamese side highly valued the Czech Republic’s inclusion of Viet Nam among the 12 key priority markets for foreign trade, as set out in the Czech Republic’s export strategy in recent years.

At present, the economies of Viet Nam and the Czech Republic are growing at a high pace and are becoming increasingly integrated into the global and regional economies. This has created favourable conditions for further bilateral cooperation in the areas of economy, trade and investment.

Also speaking at the session, Duong Hoai Nam, Ambassador of Viet Nam to the Czech Republic, said that the Viet Nam - Czech Republic relations are currently at their best stage ever across a wide range of areas, from politics and the economy to other fields of cooperation.

The Ambassador noted that a notable milestone ahead would be the official launch of a direct air route between Viet Nam and Prague on October 10, 2026, operated by Vietnamese carrier Vietjet. The route is expected to serve as an important bridge, strengthening connectivity and further facilitating exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

Jan Sechter expressed his pleasure at the continued development of relations between the two countries. The Deputy Minister also agreed with the views presented by Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang.

Jan Sechter expressed his hope that the 8th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee would help mark a new period of practical and effective cooperation, with a view to increasing trade exchanges, promoting investment cooperation and expanding collaboration in other areas of mutual interest.

Against the backdrop of the strong relations between the two countries, the potential and opportunities for trade cooperation between Viet Nam and the Czech Republic in the coming period are substantial. Czech businesses are keen to cooperate with Vietnamese partners and participate in projects involving mechanical engineering and manufacturing, energy, cement production, construction materials, the supply of medical equipment and hospital construction, as well as environmental treatment projects in Viet Nam.

Building on the results achieved in recent years, both sides agreed that holding the 8th Session of the Viet Nam - Czech Republic Intergovernmental Committee was important for identifying ways to implement cooperation agreements under the new circumstances and discussing measures to create breakthroughs in bilateral cooperation.

Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang also called on the Czech side to support efforts to enable EU Member States to ratify the EU - Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) at an early date. The early entry into force of EVIPA would provide a more comprehensive legal framework for protecting EU investors in Viet Nam.

Within the framework of cooperation with the EU, Viet Nam expressed its wish that the Czech Republic, as a member of the European Council, would continue to help make increasingly substantive use of the EU - Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). A notable example is the Škoda automobile manufacturing plant in Quang Ninh, which has officially commenced effective operations. The two sides reached agreement on a number of orientations and measures to expand the scope of economic cooperation in the new period.

At the conclusion of the session, the two Co-Chairs of the respective sides signed the Minutes of the 8th Session of the Viet Nam - Czech Republic Intergovernmental Committee on Economic Cooperation in Prague, the Czech Republic.

During their working visit to the Czech Republic, the Vietnamese delegation held meetings and bilateral working sessions with Jan Sechter, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

Earlier, at a bilateral meeting, Karel Havlíček, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, described Viet Nam as the Czech Republic’s most important trading partner in Southeast Asia. The two sides also discussed economic cooperation and several other potential areas of mutual interest. He also acknowledged and highly appreciated the contributions of the Vietnamese community to Czech society.

Expanding cooperation in potential areas

On the sidelines of the session, Viet Nam Electricity (EVN) and Thanh Cong Group (TC Group) took part in discussions with Czech businesses on potential and demand for cooperation in renewable energy, automobile manufacturing, information technology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, among other areas.

Cooperation between Viet Nam and the Czech Republic in the industrial sector has delivered positive results, notably in the automobile industry with the Škoda Auto automobile manufacturing and assembly project in Quang Ninh. The project has now officially commenced operations.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Certificate No. 861/GCN-BCT on March 19, 2025, certifying the eligibility for automobile manufacturing and assembly to Thanh Cong Viet Hung Industrial Park Technology Complex Joint Stock Company for the production and assembly of SKODA passenger cars, including the KUSHAQ and SLAVIA models, powered by gasoline.

The project is a notable example of cooperation between Viet Nam and the Czech Republic. It contributes to strengthening Viet Nam’s domestic automobile manufacturing and assembly capacity, promoting the development of supporting industries, creating jobs and enhancing linkages with global supply chains.

According to data from the Viet Nam Customs Department, bilateral trade reached more than USD 2.3 billion in 2025, up 12.7% from 2024. Czech exports to Viet Nam exceeded USD 263 million, up 14.7%, while Viet Nam’s exports to the Czech Republic surpassed USD 2 billion, up 12.7% compared with 2024.In the first eight months of 2026, two-way trade between Viet Nam and the Czech Republic exceeded USD 2 billion, representing an increase of more than 50% year on year. Viet Nam’s exports to the Czech Republic exceeded USD 1.8 billion, while imports from the Czech Republic surpassed USD 200 million.

Regarding investment, according to data from the Foreign Investment Agency, as of May 2026, the Czech Republic had 46 valid investment projects in Viet Nam with total registered capital of USD 92.12 million, ranking 52nd among 154 countries and territories investing in Viet Nam. By sector, investment was concentrated primarily in mining, with one project and registered capital of USD 35.1 million, followed by manufacturing and processing, with one project and registered capital of USD 25 million. The remaining investment was distributed across other sectors.