site.btaBulgarian, Chinese Organizations Sign 17 Cooperation Agreements on 10th Anniversary of Bulgaria’s Accession to Belt and Road Initiative

Bulgarian and Chinese organizations, including NGOs, universities and associations, signed seventeen cooperation agreements covering education, healthcare and economic partnership, the Council of Ministers reported on Monday. The signing marked the 10th anniversary of Bulgaria’s accession to the Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the New Silk Road.

Bulgaria joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative in 2015 and has participated in its 14+1 Initiative with Central and Eastern European countries.

Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Chair and Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov, present at the signing ceremony, said that the agreements demonstrate Bulgaria and China's readiness to build on past achievements and deepen the ties between the two peoples. “Bulgaria has always been a bridge between regions, cultures and economic spaces. We believe that partnerships based on transparency, dialogue and mutual respect will shape the future of our cooperation,” he added.

Attending the event was Chinese National People’s Congress Standing Committee Vice Chair Xiao Jie, who is visiting Bulgaria at the invitation of the National Assembly. Zafirov and Xiao Jie viewed a cultural exhibition displaying traditional Chinese clothing, calligraphy, visual arts and traditional beverages. During their meeting on Saturday, Zafirov said that BSP is the only political force in Bulgaria that participates actively in the dialogue initiated by the Communist Party of China related to the New Silk Road initiative.

On Saturday, Xiao Jie also met with National Assembly Chair Raya Nazaryan, who shared the Bulgarian Parliament’s desire to continue its cooperation with the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.