Vietnam and Bulgaria agree to make science and technology cooperation an important pillar of the Strategic Partnership.

Upgrading Vietnam - Bulgaria relations to Strategic Partnership

At the invitation of Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, paid an official visit to Bulgaria from October 22-24. On the morning of October 23 (local time), after a solemn official welcoming ceremony, General Secretary To Lam and President Rumen Radev held talks at the Presidential Palace.

General Secretary To Lam and President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev at the Presidential Palace - Photo: VNA

Warmly welcoming General Secretary To Lam's first visit to Bulgaria on the occasion of the two countries celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, President Rumen Radev emphasized Vietnam's position and role in the Asia- Pacific region and highly appreciated Vietnam's foreign policy, contributing to peace, stability and development in the region.

President Rumen Radev affirmed that Bulgaria always values the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam, and wishes to promote cooperation with Vietnam to contribute to sustainable development in each country as well as prosperity on the two continents.

General Secretary To Lam thanked President Rumen Radev for the warm, friendly and respectful reception given to the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation and emphasized that Vietnam attaches special importance to its relations with Bulgaria, always remembers and appreciates the valuable support of the Bulgarian people for Vietnam in the struggle for national liberation, independence and reunification, as well as in national construction and development.

At the talks, the two sides informed each other about the situation and development orientation of each country, saying that the two sides share many similarities in goals and policies and have the potential to complement each other.

Expressing their delight at the positive developments in bilateral relations in recent times, the two leaders discussed directions and measures to deepen the Vietnam-Bulgaria cooperation framework, making it more practical and suitable to the new context.

The two leaders agreed to announce the upgrading of Vietnam-Bulgaria relations to a Strategic Partnership. With this decision, Bulgaria becomes the first country in the Balkan region to have a Strategic Partnership with Vietnam.

The two leaders agreed to expand and deepen cooperation in the spirit of the new cooperation framework, especially in areas where Bulgaria has expertise and Vietnam has demand. The two sides also agreed to develop and immediately implement a Strategic Partnership Action Plan.

The two leaders agreed to enhance political trust through continuing to promote delegation exchanges and high-level contacts through all channels of the Party, State, National Assembly and people-to-people exchanges. In the context of many challenges in the world economy, the two countries need to coordinate closely, making economic, trade and investment cooperation a central pillar in the Strategic Partnership.

President Rumen Radev emphasized that both sides need to support and create favorable conditions for businesses of both countries to do business and invest in each country and was pleased that many Vietnamese businesses came to Bulgaria to attend the Business Forum during the visit of General Secretary To Lam.

The two sides agreed to strongly promote trade and investment through opening their markets to each other; taking advantage of the Vietnam - European Union Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) with the goal of doubling bilateral trade turnover in the coming years. The two sides are ready to be the "gateway" for each other's goods to penetrate the ASEAN market and the European Union (EU) market.

Regarding defense and security cooperation, the two sides agreed to promote training cooperation and cooperation in the fields of UN peacekeeping, cyber security, military medicine, etc.

The two leaders also agreed to make science and technology cooperation an important pillar of the Strategic Partnership with digital transformation, digital economy, digital infrastructure and e-government, pharmaceuticals and biomedicine, virtual assistants and modern computer science, green energy, etc. To enhance people-to-people exchanges, the two leaders agreed to build cultural programs and activities, promote tourism in each country, and encourage air connectivity.

View of the talks - Photo: VNA

Regarding the international and regional situation, the two leaders shared their stance and vision in resolving issues and responding to current challenges; agreed to increase the exchange of views on issues of mutual concern, closely coordinate and support each other at multilateral forums such as the UN, ASEAN - EU, Asia - Europe Cooperation Forum (ASEM). The two sides support ASEAN's stance in ensuring security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, and resolving disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

Strengthening cooperation in science and technology and digital transformation

At the Vietnam - Bulgaria Business Forum held on the afternoon of October 23, 2025 (local time), President Rumen Radev expressed his impression of the achievements that Vietnam has made in the process of innovation, construction and development of the country, bringing practical benefits. He also said that Vietnam has maintained stability and strong development, becoming a bright spot in growth in the region and the world.

President Rumen Radev said Bulgaria has become one of the countries with the center of innovation, high technology development, artificial intelligence (AI) and production of high-value technological products. He hopes that both sides will support and create favorable conditions for businesses of both countries to do business and invest in each country, bringing practical results.

President Rumen Radev welcomes General Secretary To Lam to attend the Vietnam - Bulgaria Business Forum - Photo: VNA

President Rumen Radev hopes to welcome more Vietnamese students to study in Bulgaria, promoting the tradition of cooperation in the fields of education, training and labor; emphasizing that businesses of both sides can cooperate, invest and have common products. President Rumen Radev suggested that Bulgarian businesses cooperate with Vietnamese businesses in areas where Bulgaria has strengths such as science and technology, clean agriculture, pharmaceuticals, education, renewable energy and European logistics...

Speaking at the Forum, General Secretary To Lam emphasized that the presence of President Rumen Radev at the Vietnam - Bulgaria Business Forum is a commitment to create favorable conditions for businesses of both sides to cooperate and invest. General Secretary To Lam said that the world has been experiencing many complex and unpredictable changes, not only in geopolitics but also in economics and trade, creating both opportunities and challenges. The difficulties of the world economy make it even more necessary for the two countries to cooperate to create great values, meeting the development needs of each country. In particular, cooperation in economic development, trade and investment are all important pillars.

General Secretary To Lam and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev witnessed the comprehensive international cooperation agreement between Sofia University and Hanoi University of Science and Technology in key areas: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Computer Science - Photo: VNA

General Secretary To Lam said that Bulgaria's development is thanks to the development of science and technology, innovation and digital transformation to create high labor productivity. Therefore, the two sides need to strengthen cooperation in the fields of science and technology, digital transformation, defense, security, defense industry development; and promote cooperation in human resources.

Pleased to witness the cooperation agreements awarded at the forum, continuing to affirm the increasingly developing cooperative relationship between the two countries for the benefit of the two peoples, General Secretary To Lam affirmed that the Party and State of Vietnam are committed to always accompanying, listening, sharing and wishing to continue receiving support and close cooperation from international friends and partners with the role of bridging and promoting foreign investors, especially Bulgarian investors in the process of building and developing the country.

At the forum, General Secretary To Lam and President Rumen Radev and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation witnessed the signing ceremony of cooperation agreements, including the Agreement on cooperation in arbitration between the Vietnam International Arbitration Center and the Arbitration Court (under the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry - BCCI); Memorandum of Understanding on strategic cooperation in education and academic exchange between Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Varna University of Economics; Comprehensive international cooperation agreement between Sofia University and Hanoi University of Science and Technology in key areas: AI, machine learning, computer science; Cooperation agreement in the field of space technology between the Military Industry - Telecommunications Group (Viettel) and EnduroSat EAD Company; Cooperation agreement on information technology and digital transformation between Tri Nam Group and Software Group (Bulgaria).

Center for Science and Technology Communication (synthesis)

Source: https://mst.gov.vn/viet-nam-va-bulgaria-nhat-tri-dua-hop-tac-khoa-hoc-va-cong-nghe-tro-thanh-tru-cot-quan-trong-cua-quan-he-doi-tac-chien-luoc-197251025125357752.htm