Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Sikela  works with Vietnamese Ambassador Duong Hoai Nam in Prague on August 22, 2024.

Minister Sikela, who was freshly nominated to be a member of the new European Commission (EC), called on the Vietnamese Government to continue to support Czech businesses and investors operating in Vietnam, especially those investing in the Skoda - Thanh Cong automobile manufacturing joint venture project and the Mong Duong Thermal Power Plant II project in Quang Ninh province.

He said he hopes the sides will coordinate well to organise the 8th meeting of their intergovernmental committee for economic cooperation slated for the last quarter this year.

Ambassador Nam wished that Minister Sikela will further support Vietnam and  Vietnam-EU relations and pay greater attention to lifting the EC's "yellow card" warning on Vietnam's seafood under the illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing regulations, the early recognition of Vietnam's market economy status, and encouraging remaining EU member states to ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement.