12.07.2019
“Bulgaria praises highly its relations with the People’s Republic of China. We hope that on the occasion of this year’s 70th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations, we will achieve significant results in our practical cooperation and will take our relations to a new, higher level.”
This is what Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said during his meeting with Mr. Li Hongzhong, member of the Politburo of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), with the rank of vice premier of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)
Hongzhong is the leader of the visiting delegation to Bulgaria. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Bulgaria Dong Xiaojun and representatives of governing institutions of the Chinese city of Tianjin also took part in the conversation with the Bulgarian Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Borissov welcomed the cooperation between the two states on governmental, parliamentary, and regional level. The Bulgarian Prime Minister, Li Hongzhong and the representatives of the Chinese city of Tianjin discussed the possibilities for cooperation in the areas of shared interest between Chinese an Bulgarian cities.
“Under your leadership Bulgaria is developing at a rapid pace,” said Li Hongzhong and conveyed greetings from the President of the PRC Xi Jinping and the Premier Li Keqiang to Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.
During the conversation, Borissov emphasized on the fact that our state supports the initiatives “17+1” and “One belt, one road. “We want for them to bring about practical results through building energy and infrastructure projects in Bulgaria with Chinese investments and participation in compliance with EU principles and norms, without state guarantees,” also said the Prime Minister. Borissov added that concessions, public-private partnership, and the creation of shared project companies are appropriate for achieving this goal.
During the meeting the Bulgarian Prime Minister drew attention to the results of the seventh “16+1” Summit meeting, held in Sofia in 2018, which contributed to developing the relationship between the EU and China. It was at the forum in Bulgaria that the decision was made to create a Global Partnership Center “16+1,” which was symbolically established during the Eighth Summit meeting in Dubrovnik, but now renamed “17+1,” because Greece joined in. Last year Sofia hosted the meeting of the local leaders of “16+1.”
“The Chinese companies can also invest in the creation of enterprises with modern technologies in Bulgaria, production of innovative goods, that would stimulate the growth of the “green” economy,” Prime Minister Borissov added before the Chinese delegation and summarized, that Bulgaria offers exceptional investment opportunities.
“And last but not least, we rely on the continued support of our Chinese friends for increasing the number of Chinese tourists coming to Bulgaria, as well as for strengthening the exchange in education, science and the contacts between young people,” also said Prime Minister Borissov.
