PRAGUE — Hà Nội and Prague are seeking to deepen cooperation in urban planning, heritage conservation, infrastructure and investment, with Hà Nội looking to draw on Prague’s experience in managing and preserving its historic cityscape.

A Hà Nội delegation led by Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Đỗ Anh Tuấn held talks with Prague Deputy Mayor Petr Hlavacek at Prague City Hall on Monday to discuss new areas of cooperation between the two capitals.

Tuan briefed the host on Hà Nội’s socio-economic development and highlighted key achievements in the city’s cooperation with Prague in particular and the Czech Republic in general.

Tuấn highlighted growing ties in trade, investment, tourism, people-to-people exchanges and local coopertion, as well as in heritage preservation and urban management, and noted that there remains room to scale up economic and investment cooperation to match their potential.

Czech investment in Hà Nội has totalled nearly US$23 million since 1989, but large-scale projects remain limited.

As Hà Nội implements its Capital Master Plan and amended Capital Law, the city wants to exchange experience with Prague in urban planning and management, heritage conservation, public transport and digital transformation.

It also sought Prague’s experience in revitalising heritage areas, particularly the Old Quarter and the area around Hoàn Kiếm Lake, as well as turning relocated industrial sites into cultural and creative spaces, parks and public facilities.

Housing is another area of interest, with Hà Nội looking to learn from Prague’s experience in social and affordable housing, public housing funds, financing mechanisms and public-private partnerships.

Hlavacek said the Czech Republic had a long-established legal framework for heritage preservation, with both public and private resources mobilised to protect historic buildings and sites.

Prague’s historic centre, recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, is subject to strict conservation requirements. The city also holds architectural competitions for new projects to ensure they fit the existing landscape.

Prague is facing a surge in tourist numbers, placing a pressure on urban infrastructure. Besides, it is also implementing measures climate change adaptation measures, such as expanding green spaces and installing fountains and cooling facilities, to improve the living environment for residents.

Hà Nội proposed broadening cooperation with Prague in transport infrastructure, smart cities, science and technology, digital transformation, culture, education and social welfare, as well as strengthening business links and investment, trade and tourism promotion.

On the same day, the Hà Nội delegation had a working session with the Vietnamese Embassy in the Czech Republic, during which Ambassador Dương Hoài Nam highlighted positive bilateral ties following the elevation of relations to a Strategic Partnership in early 2025.

He noted that around 100,000 Vietnamese and Czech people of Vietnamese origin live in the Czech Republic, describing the community as dynamic, well integrated and an important contributor to the host society.

Meetings with Vietnamese associations in the Czech Republic and Europe highlighted the community’s growing role in people-to-people exchanges and as a bridge between Việt Nam and European countries.

The Hà Nội official praised the community’s contributions and affirmed Hà Nội’s view of overseas Vietnamese as an integral part and an important resource for the capital’s development. He called on Vietnamese associations to further promote people-to-people ties, deepen mutual understanding and contribute to stronger Việt Nam-Czech Republic relations. — VNA/VNS