Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem met with visiting Czech Minister for the Environment Richard Brabec on November 21, saying environment is a highly potential field for cooperation between the city and the European nation.

The working session between Vice Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee
Le Thanh Liem and Czech Minister for the Environment Richard Brabec on November 21
(Photo: VNA) 

Liem expressed his delight at the thriving traditional cooperation between Vietnam and the Czech Republic, which has been expanded to politics, economy, trade, science-technology, and many other spheres.

He noted the two countries are preparing a number of joint activities to celebrate the 70th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2020, including a plan to open a direct air route from Hanoi to Prague in early next year.

HCM City wishes to enhance connections with the Czech Republic in the fields matching the latter’s strength and the former’s demand, thus turning bilateral cooperation potential into concrete projects, the official said.

Pointing out several challenges HCM City is facing like environmental protection, flooding, climate change, waste treatment and air quality, the vice chairman said the city is ready to work with the Czech Republic to bolster environmental partnerships, especially in the areas the European country has advantages such as reducing CO2 emissions and dust in the air, waste treatment and renewable energy.

For his part, Brabec highly valued the fruitful ties between the Czech Republic and Vietnam in multiple aspects, noting that the Czech delegation’s working visit aims to introduce the country’s latest environmental technologies and further strengthen environmental cooperation programmes with Vietnamese localities.

He affirmed many Czech businesses are experienced in and capable of solving the environmental problems facing HCM City.

The Czech Republic is currently an active member of the EU in dealing with environmental issues and improving people’s living standards, he said, adding that it is willing to share experience with HCM City in environment-related areas