site.btaDeputy PM Zafirov Confers with Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng

Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov held a meeting with Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng, the Council of Ministers said in a press release on Wednesday. Zafirov is on an official visit to China, during which he is also participating in the fourth edition of the China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo in the city of Ningbo. Bulgaria has traditionally taken part in the expo, which has become one of the most important platforms for promoting ties between China and the CEE countries over the years.

The Bulgarian delegation also includes Environment and Water Minister Manol Genov and Bulgaria’s Ambassador to China, Andrey Tehov. Meetings are scheduled with government representatives, Zhejiang Province Governor Liu Jie, and members of civil society and the business community.

“There is great potential to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, transport connectivity, new technologies, and people-to-people contacts between Bulgaria and China. We highly value our relationship with China, which has been elevated to the level of a strategic partnership since 2019,” Zafirov said during the meeting.

Speaking at the 9th China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Business Forum, Zafirov emphasized that Bulgaria was the second country in the world to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with China.

“In over 75 years, Bulgarian-Chinese relations have developed a rich and diverse agenda in nearly every field. What is especially important is that these relations have always been based on mutual respect,” Zafirov stressed.

In 2024, Bulgaria and China marked the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations by issuing a commemorative postage stamp.