Hanoi, November 26, 2024 – The Europe Today: Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính held discussions with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev in Hanoi on Monday, emphasizing Vietnam’s recognition of Bulgaria as a top priority partner in Central and Eastern Europe.
Welcoming President Radev and his delegation, Prime Minister Chính expressed confidence that the visit would deepen the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations. He acknowledged Bulgaria’s invaluable support during Vietnam’s struggle for independence and current national development efforts.
President Radev, on his first official visit to Vietnam, expressed admiration for Vietnam’s development achievements. He affirmed Bulgaria’s commitment to fostering ties with Vietnam, its leading partner in Southeast Asia.
The leaders commended the growth in bilateral relations across multiple sectors while acknowledging the need to further enhance trade and investment cooperation. They outlined six priority areas for collaboration:
- Political Trust and Diplomatic Exchange: Both sides agreed to boost delegation exchanges to strengthen political trust and promote cooperation in various fields. Bulgaria reiterated support for ASEAN’s and Việt Nam’s stance on the East Sea, emphasizing peaceful dispute resolution under international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
- Trade and Investment: A target was set to increase bilateral trade turnover to $500 million, with a focus on fostering economic partnerships.
- Education: The two countries will enhance collaboration in education, a traditional area of cooperation.
- Labour Cooperation: Emphasis was placed on strengthening labour ties to leverage complementary potentials.
- Regional and International Coordination: Both nations will continue coordinating efforts at forums such as the United Nations, ASEM, and ASEAN-EU platforms.
- People-to-People Exchanges: They agreed to promote cultural exchanges and prepare activities to commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025.
Accompanying President Radev were representatives from 30 leading Bulgarian companies specializing in sectors such as ICT, semiconductors, machinery, medical devices, and aerospace, who are set to participate in a Việt Nam-Bulgaria business forum in Hồ Chí Minh City on November 27.
Prime Minister Chính thanked Bulgaria for supporting the Vietnamese community, highlighting their contributions to fostering bilateral ties. President Radev praised the Vietnamese diaspora in Bulgaria for their socio-economic contributions and acknowledged the role of over 30,000 Vietnamese alumni and trainees who studied in Bulgaria as bridges of friendship.
Radev also pledged to advocate for the swift ratification of the EU-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and support efforts to lift the EU’s “yellow card” warning on Việt Nam’s seafood exports.
Both leaders committed to expanding traditional cooperation areas and exploring new fields such as digital transformation, AI, electronics, and agriculture. They also agreed to serve as gateways for mutual market access in ASEAN and the EU, cementing their partnership’s role in regional and global integration.
