site.btaBulgaria and China to Advance Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation

Bulgaria and China have agreed to further strengthen their cooperation in the fields of science, technology, and high-level innovation, as well as in academic exchange.

This was announced during the Eighteenth Session of the Commission for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the two countries, held in Sofia, the Ministry of Education and Science said.

The two delegations were led by Nikolay Vitanov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Bulgaria, and Cheng Jiachang, Vice Minister of Science and Technology of China. They agreed to jointly work on 20 scientific projects in nine priority areas, including quantum technologies, astronomy and space research, polar studies, artificial intelligence, materials and nanoscience, biology, theoretical physics, ecology, and green energy.

“Our cooperation strengthens innovation capacity, supports economic development, and enhances the competitiveness of both our countries,” said Vitanov. He emphasized the importance of communication in science:

“Building public trust in science, increasing the visibility of scientific achievements, and raising the prestige of scientists are essential for the long-term success of our national and international research programs,” the Deputy Minister said.

According to him, both countries should support the mobility and development of young researchers.

“Investing in the next generation of scientists is one of the wisest investments we can make for the future of Bulgarian–Chinese scientific cooperation,” Vitanov added.

Representatives from the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Innovation and Growth, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and the Research Fund took part in the session.

On the Chinese side, participants included Dai Qingli, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Bulgaria, representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the China Science and Technology Exchange Center, as well as the China–CEEC Innovation Cooperation Research Center. The next meeting of the Joint Bulgarian–Chinese Commission for Scientific and Technological Cooperation will be held in China in 2027, the Education Ministry said.