A deepening bond of mutual benefit
By Dong Xiaojun |
chinawatch.cn |
Updated: 2019-11-28 13:20
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 70 years ago, the friendship between China and Bulgaria has been passed down from generation to generation with many memorable moments. In the aftermath of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Bulgaria quickly invited children from disaster-stricken areas to Bulgaria for convalescence. In 2018, when Boyan Petrov, a Bulgarian mountaineer, was reported missing when climbing a mountain in China, several hundred Chinese people went all out in search of Boyan Petrov regardless of their own safety. These are just a couple of examples of the friendly sentiments between Chinese and Bulgarian peoples.
In recent years, China and Bulgaria have maintained close exchanges. The political mutual trust between the two countries has been continuously enhanced. In 2014, President Xi Jinping and the visiting Bulgarian President Rosen Asenov Plevneliev jointly promoted bilateral relations to comprehensive friendly cooperative partnership. Since then, the development of bilateral relations has entered the express lane.
In 2018, during the official visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to Bulgaria, a number of cooperation agreements were signed by the two sides. In July 2019, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev paid a state visit to China and the leaders of the two countries jointly announced the elevation of bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership, pushing China-Bulgaria relations to a new stage. In addition, the frequent exchanges between legislative bodies, political parties and local governments of the two countries have effectively fostered bilateral political relations.
At present, China-Bulgaria relations are at their best in history. Cooperation in trade has maintained good growth momentum. China has been Bulgaria's third-largest trading partner outside the European Union for many years. Quality Bulgarian agricultural products such as yogurt, wine and rose oil are increasingly popular among Chinese consumers. Positive progress has been achieved in cooperation in infrastructure and energy sectors. Cultural exchanges have continued to deepen. The China Cultural Center, the largest in Central and Eastern Europe, was unveiled in Sofia in 2017 and is playing an increasingly important role in cultural exchanges between the two countries. Last year, art groups of two countries made 40 mutual visits. The "Happy Spring Festival" celebration has been held in Bulgaria for nine consecutive years, and has become a well-known brand of Chinese culture in Bulgaria. In the field of education, there are currently two Confucius Institutes and more than 40 Chinese language teaching units. The number of Chinese-language students has reached 4,000, reflecting a growing interest in Chinese language and culture.
Bulgaria is an important member of the European Union. Both China and the EU are active participants and staunch supporters of economic globalization. Together, China and the EU uphold multilateralism, the international system with the United Nations at its core and the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core. Both parties oppose unilateralism and protectionism. And it is in their mutual interest to maintain and develop an open world economy. From the perspective of China-EU cooperation, China-Bulgaria relations are of special significance.
The Bulgarian government supports and actively participates in the Belt and Road Initiative and China-CEEC cooperation. In 2015, Bulgaria was among the first Central and Eastern European countries to sign intergovernmental agreement on the Belt and Road Initiative with China. In 2018, Bulgaria successfully held the seventh Summit of the Heads of Government of China and the CEEC and the fourth Local Leaders' Meeting of China and the CEEC. Under the initiative of China and Bulgaria and with the support of other partners, the 17+1 Global Partnership Center has been officially unveiled.
Bulgaria has been playing an important role in China-CEEC agricultural cooperation. In 2015, the Association for the Promotion of Agricultural Cooperation between China and the CEEC was set up. In 2017, the demonstration park for agricultural cooperation between China and the CEEC was established in Bulgaria, the first of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe and in the EU as a whole. In 2018, Premier Li and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov jointly unveiled the demonstration park. At present, more than 20 agricultural enterprises and agricultural research institutions from China and Central and Eastern Europe have entered the demonstration park. Their cooperation has expanded from crop cultivation to facility agriculture, feed processing and agricultural science and technology.
Chinese companies are keen to invest and start businesses in Bulgaria. It is estimated that more than 300 Chinese economic and trade groups visited Bulgaria last year. Chinese companies are closely following major projects in Bulgaria in fields such as energy conservation and transportation infrastructure, and are maintaining communication with relevant authorities and enterprises.
We believe that with close political relations, a solid foundation of people-to-people friendship and strong aspirations for cooperation, the two countries have great potential for pragmatic cooperation in various fields.
The past 70 years have seen the forging of a close bond between China and Bulgaria. Our relations have withstood the test of international vicissitudes. Fruitful cooperation has been scored in the fields of economy, trade, culture, science and technology, and education.
With the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and bond of strategic partnership as a new starting point, the two sides will work together to inject new impetus into China-Bulgarian cooperation and deliver more benefits to the two countries and the two peoples.
The author is China's ambassador to Bulgaria.
The author contributed this article to China Watch exclusively. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of China Watch.
All rights reserved. Copying or sharing of any content for other than personal use is prohibited without prior written permission.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 70 years ago, the friendship between China and Bulgaria has been passed down from generation to generation with many memorable moments. In the aftermath of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Bulgaria quickly invited children from disaster-stricken areas to Bulgaria for convalescence. In 2018, when Boyan Petrov, a Bulgarian mountaineer, was reported missing when climbing a mountain in China, several hundred Chinese people went all out in search of Boyan Petrov regardless of their own safety. These are just a couple of examples of the friendly sentiments between Chinese and Bulgarian peoples.
In recent years, China and Bulgaria have maintained close exchanges. The political mutual trust between the two countries has been continuously enhanced. In 2014, President Xi Jinping and the visiting Bulgarian President Rosen Asenov Plevneliev jointly promoted bilateral relations to comprehensive friendly cooperative partnership. Since then, the development of bilateral relations has entered the express lane.
In 2018, during the official visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to Bulgaria, a number of cooperation agreements were signed by the two sides. In July 2019, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev paid a state visit to China and the leaders of the two countries jointly announced the elevation of bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership, pushing China-Bulgaria relations to a new stage. In addition, the frequent exchanges between legislative bodies, political parties and local governments of the two countries have effectively fostered bilateral political relations.
At present, China-Bulgaria relations are at their best in history. Cooperation in trade has maintained good growth momentum. China has been Bulgaria's third-largest trading partner outside the European Union for many years. Quality Bulgarian agricultural products such as yogurt, wine and rose oil are increasingly popular among Chinese consumers. Positive progress has been achieved in cooperation in infrastructure and energy sectors. Cultural exchanges have continued to deepen. The China Cultural Center, the largest in Central and Eastern Europe, was unveiled in Sofia in 2017 and is playing an increasingly important role in cultural exchanges between the two countries. Last year, art groups of two countries made 40 mutual visits. The "Happy Spring Festival" celebration has been held in Bulgaria for nine consecutive years, and has become a well-known brand of Chinese culture in Bulgaria. In the field of education, there are currently two Confucius Institutes and more than 40 Chinese language teaching units. The number of Chinese-language students has reached 4,000, reflecting a growing interest in Chinese language and culture.
Bulgaria is an important member of the European Union. Both China and the EU are active participants and staunch supporters of economic globalization. Together, China and the EU uphold multilateralism, the international system with the United Nations at its core and the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core. Both parties oppose unilateralism and protectionism. And it is in their mutual interest to maintain and develop an open world economy. From the perspective of China-EU cooperation, China-Bulgaria relations are of special significance.
The Bulgarian government supports and actively participates in the Belt and Road Initiative and China-CEEC cooperation. In 2015, Bulgaria was among the first Central and Eastern European countries to sign intergovernmental agreement on the Belt and Road Initiative with China. In 2018, Bulgaria successfully held the seventh Summit of the Heads of Government of China and the CEEC and the fourth Local Leaders' Meeting of China and the CEEC. Under the initiative of China and Bulgaria and with the support of other partners, the 17+1 Global Partnership Center has been officially unveiled.
Bulgaria has been playing an important role in China-CEEC agricultural cooperation. In 2015, the Association for the Promotion of Agricultural Cooperation between China and the CEEC was set up. In 2017, the demonstration park for agricultural cooperation between China and the CEEC was established in Bulgaria, the first of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe and in the EU as a whole. In 2018, Premier Li and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov jointly unveiled the demonstration park. At present, more than 20 agricultural enterprises and agricultural research institutions from China and Central and Eastern Europe have entered the demonstration park. Their cooperation has expanded from crop cultivation to facility agriculture, feed processing and agricultural science and technology.
Chinese companies are keen to invest and start businesses in Bulgaria. It is estimated that more than 300 Chinese economic and trade groups visited Bulgaria last year. Chinese companies are closely following major projects in Bulgaria in fields such as energy conservation and transportation infrastructure, and are maintaining communication with relevant authorities and enterprises.
We believe that with close political relations, a solid foundation of people-to-people friendship and strong aspirations for cooperation, the two countries have great potential for pragmatic cooperation in various fields.
The past 70 years have seen the forging of a close bond between China and Bulgaria. Our relations have withstood the test of international vicissitudes. Fruitful cooperation has been scored in the fields of economy, trade, culture, science and technology, and education.
With the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and bond of strategic partnership as a new starting point, the two sides will work together to inject new impetus into China-Bulgarian cooperation and deliver more benefits to the two countries and the two peoples.
The author is China's ambassador to Bulgaria.
The author contributed this article to China Watch exclusively. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of China Watch.
All rights reserved. Copying or sharing of any content for other than personal use is prohibited without prior written permission.
