site.btaDay Two of Bulgaria Visit of Vietnam's Communist Party Leader

The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam, has ended his two-day official visit to Sofia, which he paid at the invitation of Bulgarian President Rumen Radev. The visit came in the year of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. The main highlight was a declaration upgrading bilateral relations to the level of a strategic partnership, signed on Thursday.

On Friday, the sides signed:

• A letter of intent to broaden military cooperation between the two countries’ defence ministrries;
• A memorandum of understanding between Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry and Vietnam’s Public Security Ministry for cooperation in cybersecurity and combating high-tech and cyber crime;
• An amendment to the intergovernmental agreement on mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and service passports;
• A memorandum of understanding on digital cooperation;
• A memorandum of understanding on labour and social policy cooperation; and
• An annex to the agreement on scientific cooperation between the two countries’ academies of sciences.

The Regional Administration in Pernik, Bulgaria and the People’s Committee of Phu Tho Province, Vietnam signed a memorandum of understanding on friendship and cooperation.

Also on Friday, President Rumen Radev and Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary To Lam visited Samel 90, a Bulgarian company manufacturing unmanned aircraft systems. Radev said that the Bulgarian defence industry provides excellent opportunities for cooperation with Vietnam.

Meeting with Lam, National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova expressed satisfaction with the dynamic political dialogue and the broad sectoral cooperation between the two nations. Broader opportunities are opening up for deepening cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, law enforcement, science, technology, and innovation, Kiselova said, discussing the strategic partnership declaration. Kiselova underlined that the Vietnamese community in Bulgaria is among the best integrated in the country.

At a separate session, Lam told Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov that Bulgaria is Vietnam’s first strategic partner in the Balkans. The guest added that Bulgaria’s upcoming accession to the eurozone confirms the country’s deep integration and increasingly prominent position in the region. Zhelyazkov said Bulgaria is following with interest and highly appreciates Vietnam's remarkable progress. The PM added that the Bulgarian public is well aware of Vietnam's impressive economic achievements. Zhelyazkov recalled that many Vietnamese citizens have studied in Bulgaria and contributed to the closeness between the two nations.

At the Vietnamese Embassy in Sofia, To Lam and Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov unveiled a monument to Ho Chi Minh, the first president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (served 1945-1969), who is revered as the father of modern Vietnam.

Thursday, the first day of Lam’s visit to Bulgaria, was marked by the signing of the bilateral strategic partnership declaration. Lam talked with President Rumen Radev before opening a business forum dedicated to exploring opportunities for bilateral cooperation. The guest delivered a lecture at Sofia University.

During the visit, which was part of Lam’s European tour, he was accompanied by more than 40 representatives of government institutions, leading companies from various sectors of the economy, and business organizations.