site.btaForeign Minister Ivan Kondov Receives Chinese Ambassador Dai Qingli

Caretaker Foreign Minister Ivan Kondov received Chinese Ambassador Dai Qingli, the press centre of the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. The occasion for the meeting was the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and China.

The two officials gave a positive assessment of the achievements of the two countries in the development of relations based on traditional friendship and mutual respect and elevated in 2019 to the level of strategic partnership. Events and initiatives in the coming year were identified to continue and build on the fruitful interaction. Minister Kondov expressed gratitude for the introduction of a visa-free regime for Bulgarian citizens travelling to China for business, tourism and private visits, for stays of up to 30 days.

He noted the untapped potential for deepening relations in trade, investment and tourism, and shared Bulgaria's interest in achieving balanced trade, increasing exports to China of agricultural products and food, attracting investment and developing transport links.

Minister Kondov and Ambassador Dai exchanged views on current international issues, including Russia's war against Ukraine. Kondov reaffirmed Bulgaria's continued commitment to protecting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.