site.btaForeign Ministry Meets with Special Representative for CEE-China Cooperation Initiative

On 25 June 2024, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Svetlan Stoev held a meeting with Jiang Yu, China's Special Representative under the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) - China Cooperation Initiative, the ministry's press office said on Wednesday.

During the meeting, bilateral relations were discussed, including this year's celebration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, cooperation under the CEE-China Initiative, and the EU-China partnership.

Ambassador Stoev noted that Bulgaria's priorities in cooperation with China are the development of trade relations, especially in the field of agricultural goods, connectivity and tourism. Trade between the two countries has been growing over the past year, but Bulgaria would like to see an increase in the volume and variety of Bulgarian goods on the Chinese market, facilitation of export procedures for agricultural goods and achieving balance and reciprocity.

The two sides discussed opportunities for the development of international transport routes, especially in the field of rail and air transport, as a further prerequisite for promoting trade in goods.

Ambassador Stoev noted China's important role as an influential country and permanent member of the UN Security Council in relation to the war in Ukraine, as well as Bulgaria's willingness to constructively engage China in international formats and dialogue.