Vietnam welcomes Czech businesses' plans to invest in the country, said Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem while meeting with Lubomir Zaoralek, Speaker of the Czech Republic's Chamber of Deputies, in Hanoi on February 27.

The Deputy PM said he appreciates the Czech Republic’s socio-economic achievements in the recent past and its fine development of co-operative relations with Vietnam. Mr Khiem expressed his hope for further co-operation between the two countries in the traditional field of education.

Speaker Zaoralek said he is satisfied with Vietnam's efficient use of official development assistance (ODA) and pledged to continue granting ODA to Vietnam. Czech businesses are interested in investing in Vietnam, particularly in such potential fields as providing energy and equipment supply to cement and water treatment plants.

He praised Vietnam's efforts in economic renovation and its open-door policy in recent years, hoping that bilateral co-operation would be further developed.