Vietnamese and Bulgarian Presidents Pledge to Deepen Bilateral Cooperation

Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: Vietnamese President Lương Cường and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev engaged in comprehensive talks on Monday in Hanoi, focusing on enhancing cooperation across multiple sectors. The discussions took place during President Radev’s official visit to Vietnam from November 24 to 28, following a formal welcome ceremony.

President Cường highlighted the significance of the visit, which precedes the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Bulgaria in 2025. He emphasized that the visit marked a milestone in elevating the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two nations. Expressing gratitude for Bulgaria’s past support during Vietnam’s struggle for independence and its current development efforts, President Cường reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Bulgaria, a priority ally in Central and Eastern Europe.

President Radev, on his first visit to Vietnam, expressed pride in Bulgaria’s historic contributions, particularly in training over 30,000 skilled Vietnamese workers. He highlighted Bulgaria’s achievements as an EU leader in digital transformation and affirmed that Vietnam is a vital partner in Southeast Asia.

Expanding Cooperation Frameworks

The two leaders agreed to strengthen high-level exchanges through Party, State, Government, National Assembly, and people-to-people channels to deepen political trust and mutual understanding. They identified trade and investment as key pillars of bilateral relations and pledged to bolster existing mechanisms, such as the Intergovernmental Committee on Economic, Scientific, and Technological Cooperation.

Both presidents committed to leveraging the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and promoting Bulgaria’s expertise in areas like information technology and supporting industries. President Radev underscored Bulgaria’s readiness to act as a gateway for Vietnam into the EU market, with representatives from major Bulgarian enterprises accompanying him to explore investment opportunities.

President Cường expressed gratitude to Bulgaria for ratifying the Vietnam-EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and urged the nation to advocate for its full ratification by other EU members. He also sought Bulgaria’s support in encouraging the European Commission to lift the IUU “yellow card” on Vietnam’s seafood exports.

Broadening Collaboration Areas

The leaders emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation in traditional fields such as defense, education, science, agriculture, culture, and tourism while expanding into emerging sectors like digital transformation, mineral processing, and environmental protection.

Both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to multilateral coordination, particularly within the United Nations and ASEAN-EU frameworks, to address global challenges. On regional issues, including the East Sea (South China Sea), the presidents stressed the importance of peaceful conflict resolution based on the UN Charter and international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, to maintain peace, security, and freedom of navigation and aviation.

Strengthening Bilateral Ties

The talks concluded with President Radev extending an invitation for President Cường to visit Bulgaria. The two leaders then witnessed the signing of several cooperation agreements in education, trade, and local partnerships, signaling a new chapter in the Vietnam-Bulgaria relationship.