Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh visits Bulgaria

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Pham Binh Minh, paid an official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of Bulgarian Deputy PM and Foreign Minister, Ekaterina Zaharieva.

Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh (left) meets Bulgarian President Rumen Radev. (Photo: VNA)
Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh (left) meets Bulgarian President Rumen Radev. (Photo: VNA)

Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh paid a courtesy visit to President Rumen Radev on July 3. At the meeting, President Rumen Radev recalled the traditional bilateral friendship over the past almost seven decades. The Bulgarian President spoke highly of Vietnam’s economic achievements, adding that the two countries always work closely together on regional and global issues.

He also affirmed that Bulgaria supports the early signing and ratification of the European Union - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). The host pledged to direct the Bulgarian government and relevant agencies to soon convene a meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee to discuss specific measures.

Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh assured the Bulgarian leaders that the Vietnamese government and people wish to strengthen their friendship and cooperation with Bulgaria.

During the meeting between Deputy PM Minh and his Bulgarian counterpart, Tomislav Donchev, the two officials consented to undertake specific measures to lift the bilateral economic-trade-investment ties, including piloting joint-venture models in manufacturing to sell in Europe and other markets over the world.

The two sides underscored the need to lift their education-training cooperation and tap Bulgaria’s experience in training over 3,000 engineers and officials for Vietnam in the past, as well as agreeing to promptly hold the 24th meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic-Trade Cooperation and the fifth meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Science-Technology Cooperation.

Also on July 3, Deputy PM Minh visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria and talked with the overseas Vietnamese community here.