(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam and Bulgaria have officially upgraded their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership. The announcement was made by Party General Secretary To Lam and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev at a joint press conference following their high-level talks held on Thursday in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, during General Secretary To Lam’s official visit to the country accompanied by his spouse and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation.
 General Secretary To Lam and President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev announced the upgrading of bilateral relations to the press. (Photo: Van Hieu/VOV) |
Speaking at the press conference, General Secretary To Lam emphasized that, on the basis of mutual trust and understanding, the two sides held a highly successful meeting.
The two sides reviewed the overall progress of bilateral cooperation, agreed on major orientations to further expand and deepen traditional areas of collaboration, and identified new potential sectors where both countries have shared interests and complementary strengths. They also exchanged in-depth views on regional and global issues of mutual concern.
 Bulgarian President Rumen Radev speaking. Photo: Van Hieu/VOV |
General Secretary To Lam said: “Building on the positive development and remarkable achievements of Vietnam–Bulgaria relations over the past 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, and with strong confidence in the bright future of our cooperation, we have adopted the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of the Vietnam–Bulgaria Strategic Partnership."
 General Secretary To Lam speaking. Photo: Van Hieu/VOV |
"This is a significant milestone that lays a solid foundation for elevating bilateral relations to a new height, for the benefit of our two peoples and for peace, stability, and development in the region and the world. This new cooperation framework will serve as a firm basis for consolidating and deepening the partnership between Vietnam and Bulgaria, enabling both countries to fully leverage their respective strengths for rapid and sustainable development in the new context,” stressed the Vietnamese Party leader.
President Rumen Radev affirmed that with the establishment of the Strategic Partnership, bilateral ties have entered a new era. He stressed that Vietnam is a priority and key partner for Bulgaria in Southeast Asia, and highly valued Vietnam’s dynamic economy and proactive foreign policy. President Radev also expressed strong confidence in the promising future of Vietnam–Bulgaria relations across all areas of cooperation.