site.btaTsetska Tsacheva:Cooperation with China in Cultural and Historical Tourism Has Great Potential

Tsetska Tsacheva: Cooperation with China in Cultural and Historical Tourism Has Great Potential

Xi'an, Northwestern China, July 1 (BTA) - Bulgaria's cooperation with China in the field of cultural and historical tourism has great potential, National Assembly Chairperson Tsetska Tsacheva told China's Shaanxi Provincial People's Congress Chairman Lou Qinjie, as quoted in a press release by the Bulgarian legislature on Friday. The meeting took place in Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, towards the close of a five-day official visit by a Bulgarian parliamentary delegation to China.

Tsacheva said the Bulgarian delegation's visit was aimed to identify new opportunities for bilateral cooperation, and above all, to boost business-to-business contacts. She noted that the two countries have excellent relations, but there is still untapped potential for cooperation.

Bulgaria offers remarkable opportunities for year-round tourism, she said. The country boasts a long history and many cultural monuments. It has created excellent conditions to attract investments from China.

Lou said Shaanxi is a large province which is home to many universities and scientific institutions, and it is interested in cooperating with Bulgaria in the field of education, science and culture. He added that the provincial authorities also want to promote cooperation in industry and trade.

Tsacheva observed that historical and cultural heritage is valued in this northwestern Chinese province. She said it is important to encourage Shaanxi's ties with local authorities in Bulgaria. The province maintains dialogue with Bulgaria's medieval capital Veliko Turnovo and this relationship will hopefully develop further, Tsacheva said. She noted that a Confucius Institute exists in the University of Veliko Turnovo; it is one of two such institutes in Bulgaria and is working actively to popularize the Chinese language and culture.

Shaanxi Province has a population of 37 million people and a fast growing economy, Lou said. In 2015, its economic output grew by 8 per cent. Shaanxi is a national leader in oil and natural gas extraction, and the coal it produced in 2015 exceeded 60 billion tonnes, he said.

Earlier in the day, the Bulgarian guests visited the Terracotta Warriors Museum near Xi'an, whose collection of life-size terracotta warrior figures is on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Tsacheva signed the official book of the museum.