site.btaPresident Radev Pays State Visit to China

July 1 (BTA special correspondent Assen
Boyadjiev) - Meeting with China's Premier Li Keqiang at the
start of a state visit to China on Monday, Bulgarian President
Rumen Radev said that China is "a key partner of topmost
significance" for Bulgaria and that the two countries have fine
political relations which Sofia wants to see broaden further. 

Radev is visiting China between July 1 and 5 at the invitation
of his counterpart Xi Jinping. Promoting Bulgaria's relations
with China to a strategic level and setting guidelines for their
 future development are expected to be in the focus of Radev's
talks.

Radev told Premier Li that two-way trade is increasing steadily
but it remains below the potential of both countries. "Chinese
investment don't yet have a lasting presence in Bulgaria," said
the Bulgarian head of State.

On July 2, Radev will attend the opening of the World Economic
Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian. He
will hold separate sessions with WEF Founder and Executive
Chairman Klaus Schwab and with Xu Qin, Governor of Hebei
Province in Northern China.

The official welcoming ceremony for President Radev and his wife
 Dessislava Radeva will be held in Beijing on July 3. Radev and
President Xi will lead plenary talks between the two countries'
official delegations.

On July 4, the Bulgarian President will arrive in Shanghai,
where he will confer with Mayor Ying Yong. On the following day,
 Radev will deliver a lecture at Jiao Tong University.

Radev's delegation includes the chairs of the parliamentary
committees of regional policy, public works and local
self-government, and of transport, IT and communications, as
well as members of the Bulgaria-China friendship group in the
legislature and officials of research and business
organizations. LN/
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