(VOVworld) - 80 businesses from Hanoi and the Czech Republic in the garments, textiles, and footwear sector gathered at a conference in Prague to discuss cooperation and investment opportunities.

Businesses from Hanoi and the Czech Republic gather at Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague to discuss cooperation possibilities. (Photo: Nguyen Hong Tam /Vietnam+)

Le Hong Thang, Director of Hanoi’s Department of Industry and Trade, said participating firms have had their investment in Eastern Europe disrupted due to recent political instabilities there.

Thang noted that their penetration into the Czech market will help Vietnamese companies access the rest of the EU, adding that “trade promotion in traditional markets like Eastern Europe offers the shortest way to the EU market. Once we conquer the Czech market, an outlying EU market with 90 million people who like Vietnamese products and their prices, we’ll expand in the area.”

According to the Vietnam Business Association, one advantage Vietnamese enterprises have is that consumers in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, and Poland are very familiar with many Vietnamese brands of garments, textiles, and footwear products.

Representatives of 60 Czech businesses in the sector expressed interest in the designs, patterns, and quality of Vietnamese products and said they hope more exchanges will be held to encourage future cooperation and investment agreements.