The Head of State Rosen Plevneliev, who received Nguyen Thi Doan, Vice-president of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, forecast an increase of the Bulgarian investments in Vietnam in the following years. The Bulgarian business circles have an interest in investing in the processing of oils, in pharmacy and cosmetics, the food industry, the manufacture of tobacco products, wine-production, as well as in the defense and defense technology sectors, the president said. The Head of State pointed out that Bulgarian engineering companies have rich experience and may take part in joint enterprises, in the construction of irrigation systems, in the implementation of infrastructure projects, also in developing the mining and energy sectors.
Bulgaria offers excellent opportunities as an intermediary point for the export of Vietnamese goods to the EU markets and the countries in the region, including fish and other seafood processed in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Black Sea ports, the Danube river ports and the industrial zones can be used to this effect. These opportunities lie at the basis of the Strategic partnership between the two countries, part of which is also the new model of economic cooperation between Bulgaria and Vietnam approved during President Rosen Plevneliev’s state visit to Vietnam at the end of 2013.
At the meeting Vice-president Nguyen said that 2015 will be the year of the small and medium-sized business. The Asian country is working on a plan for encouraging its economic growth in 2015 by implementing large infrastructure projects by applying the mechanisms of the public-private partnership, restructuring and reorganization of the banking system and privatization of the state enterprises. In the words of Vietnam’s Vice-president, this provides opportunities for Bulgarian companies to step into the Vietnamese market.
Vice-president Nguyen further called on for reviving the tradition whereby Bulgarian university lecturers visit Vietnam and also for increasing the number of Bulgarian scholarships granted to Vietnamese citizens. In her words, the numerous Bulgarian graduates in Vietnam, the Vietnamese Diaspora in Bulgaria and the business circles in the two countries will continue to lie at the basis of the traditionally friendly relations between Bulgaria and Vietnam. Nguyen Thi Doan, who graduated in Bulgaria, voiced Vietnam’s gratitude for the opportunity provided to tens of thousands of Vietnamese citizens to study and work in Bulgaria.
In 2015 Bulgaria and Vietnam will mark 65 years since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. At the meeting held between President Rosen Plevneliev and the Vice-president of Vietnam it was further pointed out that the jubilee will be commemorated with a rich series of joint events.