Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Đoàn Minh Huấn  (R) receives Speaker of Bulgarian National Assembly  Rosen Dimitrov Jeliazkov. VNA photo

 NINH BÌNH – A delegation of the Bulgarian National Assembly headed by Speaker Rosen Dimitrov Jeliazkov had a working trip to the northern province of Ninh Bình on Saturday, within the framework of the Speaker's official visit to Việt Nam from January 5-9.

Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Đoàn Minh Huấn briefed the Bulgarian guests on the local socio-economic development, potential, and advantages, while highlighting the province's tourism attractions.

Hoa Lư located in Ninh Bình Province was the capital of Đại Cồ Việt (Great Viet) - the first centralised feudal state in Việt Nam which existed from 968 to 1010 AD. The province is also home to a UNESCO-recognised world cultural and natural heritage - Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex.

Ninh Bình pursues a green, environmentally-friendly development model, taking tourism as an economic spearhead, high-tech industry as the driving force, cultural industry and heritage economy as a breakthrough, and ecological agriculture as a pillar, according to Huấn.

In 2023, the province posted a growth rate of 7.27 per cent, ranking 23rd out of 63 cities and provinces in Việt Nam. It aims to become a centrally-run city by 2035 with the characteristics of a millennium heritage city, a creative city, deeply integrated into the network of heritage cities and heritage economies and cultural industry worldwide.

Huấn said he hoped that the visit by the Bulgarian delegation would open up opportunities for the province to expand cooperation with heritage urban centres in Bulgaria, and Ninh Bình wished to learn about the way Bulgaria developed tourism.

For his part, Speaker Jeliazkov affirmed that the visit demonstrated the desire to further tighten the good friendship between the two countries and the National Assemblies.

He wished that activities to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic relations in 2025 would be held and marked with good results in the bilateral ties in all aspects.

On January 6 afternoon, the Bulgarian delegation is scheduled to visit the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. VNA/VNS