site.btaPresident Radev to Visit Singapore and Vietnam from November 22 to 27

President Rumen Radev will visit the Republic of Singapore and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam from November 22 to 27, his press secretariat reported Tuesday. During the two visits, the head of State will be accompanied by representatives of Bulgarian businesses in the fields of information and high technology, defence, the automotive sector, engineering, and others. On Radev's delegation are caretaker Minister of Education and Science Galin Tsokov, Minister of Innovation and Growth Rosen Karadimov, Tourism Minister Evtim Miloshev, and mayors of Bulgarian municipalities.

The Bulgarian President's visit to Singapore aims to promote the development of the bilateral dialogue at the highest political level as well as to promote partnerships between the two countries in fields of mutual interest. The last visit of a Bulgarian head of State to the Asian country was in 2003, and Singapore is a major trade and transport hub for trade between the EU and Southeast Asian countries. On the first day of the visit, November 22, Radev will hold a meeting with his counterpart Tharman Shanmugaratnam. He is also scheduled to meet with Singapore's Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong and with Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

While in Singapore, Radev will open a business forum with the participation of representatives of Bulgarian and Singaporean companies. He is also scheduled to meet with Bulgarians living and working in Singapore. Together with the Bulgarian business representatives, Radev will visit the innovative Punggol Digital District economic zone, which brings together entrepreneurial and scientific activities to facilitate partnerships and exchange ideas and resources.

The Bulgarian President's official visit to Vietnam will be the first foreign visit by a head of State hosted by the country's newly elected President, Luong Cuong, who took office last month. At his invitation, the visit will take place on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Vietnam, which will be marked on February 8, 2025.

Radev's visit will begin with a meeting with the community of Vietnamese citizens who have studied and worked in Bulgaria - representatives of the Vietnam-Bulgaria Friendship Association. The Association, which includes hundreds of Vietnamese citizens, is active in cultural exchanges and in strengthening bilateral relations with Bulgaria.

On November 25, Radev and his wife Dessislava Radeva will be welcomed with an official ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi. The two heads of State will hold a meeting and chair plenary talks of the two official delegations. Bilateral documents will be signed in their presence.

In Hanoi, President Radev is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with General Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man. Radev will also visit the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, where he will deliver a lecture dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and the Asian country.

The Bulgarian head of State and the delegation are scheduled to visit Haiphong - one of the fastest growing economic cities in Vietnam and a major port centre. The President is also scheduled to open a Vietnamese-Bulgarian business forum in Ho Chi Minh City, the largest industrial and financial centre in Vietnam. In Haiphong and Ho Chi Minh City, he will hold meetings with representatives of the leaderships of the People's Committees of the two cities.