At the invitation of Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse, together with a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam, are paying an official visit to Bulgaria from October 22 to 24. The visit takes place at a meaningful point of time when the two countries are celebrating the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. It is the first visit by a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam since Bulgaria’s institutional transformation in 1990.

Kadrinova told the Vietnam News Agency said that over the past 75 years, relations between Vietnam and Bulgaria have been developing positively and still hold enormous untapped potential for further reinforcement and expansion in today’s global context.

According to Kadrinova, bilateral ties are built on effective cooperation and mutual trust, and nurtured by the warm and strong friendship — a precious asset shared by both peoples.

She recalled that Bulgarian experts once supported Vietnam through difficult times while tens of thousands of Vietnamese received specialised training in Bulgaria. Today, they form the core of the active Vietnam – Bulgaria friendship associations. She also praised the dynamism of the Bulgaria – Vietnam Friendship Association and highlighted people-to-people diplomacy as a common strength of both countries.

Regarding state-to-state relations, Kadrinova noted their vigorous development, reflected in the increase of mutual visits, including high-level ones, over the past 15 years. She said President Radev’s visit to Vietnam in November 2024 had opened new horizons for bilateral ties and expressed her belief that General Secretary Lam’s visit to Bulgaria will inject fresh impetus into their friendship and collaboration in key areas.

She perceived that the trip carries special significance for political and diplomatic relations between the two sides, believing that it will help elevate bilateral relations to a new height and shape strategic directions for more effective and era-matching cooperation.

The journalist shared that she has closely followed Vietnam’s recent development initiatives and is deeply impressed by the country’s clear, consistent, and dynamic policies under the leadership of its Party and State. She highly valued Vietnam’s target of double-digit economic growth based on science – technology, innovation, digital transformation, and green development. She stressed that investing in human capital is key to the nation’s success, and believed Bulgaria could gain valuable insights from Vietnam’s development model.

She recalled that during his 2024 visit to Vietnam, President Radev called for expanding traditional cooperation in areas such as robotics, software, satellites, artificial intelligence, and other advanced technologies, noting the two countries could combine Vietnam’s strong and stable growth with Bulgaria’s achievements in digitalisation and innovation.

Both sides share strong political will to make General Secretary Lam’s visit an important milestone that enriches their traditional friendship in a modern and more practical way, according to Kadrinova.

She highlighted the time-honoured friendship as the greatest asset in bilateral ties, especially the 30,000 Vietnamese who used to study in Bulgaria and still consider it their second home, forming a solid cornerstone for the countries' enduring friendship.

Despite global uncertainties, she noted that Bulgaria – Vietnam connections remain stable, praising Vietnam’s clear stance in the international arena, good relations with all countries, promotion of cooperation and diplomatic dialogue, and active membership of most international and regional organisations and unions. She also underlined Vietnam's steadfast commitment to peace and understanding among nations, and that in Southeast Asia, it plays an important and respected role in maintaining regional peace and stability.

Kadrinova also viewed the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) as a major driver of the two countries' economic cooperation, adding the similarities in their development orientations completely match Bulgaria’s foreign policy and provide a strong foundation for bilateral relations to keep growing sustainably and generate tangible benefits for both peoples.

She suggested that Bulgaria could serve as Vietnam’s “gateway” to Europe, particularly Eastern Europe, while Vietnam could act as Bulgaria’s bridge to Southeast Asia. Though this potential remains underutilised, she believed now is the right time for both sides to take concrete steps to realise it.

Sharing her expectations for the ongoing visit, Kadrinova said she hopes it will mark real progress towards a strategic partnership between Bulgaria and Vietnam, a goal that could be reached by deepening cooperation through ambitious, practical, and effective programmes, especially in high-tech and modern sectors.

With their strong friendship and diverse cooperation potential, she concluded, the two nations can look forward to a successful, dynamic, and inspirational common future for shared prosperity.

Kadrinova is the author of Vietnam – The Phoenix and the Dragon (2009, 2010) and The Vietnamese Miracle (2020), among other works. She was awarded the Vietnam Friendship Order in 2010, and has served as a member of Bulgaria’s Council for Electronic Media, appointed by President Radev, since 2024.

Vietnam, Bulgaria agree to expand cooperation in new areas

VOV.VN - The Deputy Foreign Ministers of Vietnam and Bulgaria has highlighted both nations’ growing ties and agreed to beef up cooperation in new areas such as high technology, innovation, and defence-security