Bulgaria and China convened a forum on Monday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their collaboration under the Belt and Road Initiative, signing 17 new agreements aimed at transforming long-standing political goodwill into tangible cooperation.
The event was co-hosted by the China NGO Network for International Exchanges and the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria, attracting nearly 300 participants from both countries across political, business, and cultural sectors.
Atanas Zafirov, Bulgaria’s Deputy Prime Minister, emphasized that the new agreements between Bulgarian and Chinese institutions aim to give “practical dimensions” to the bilateral dialogue initiated under the 2015 memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road framework.
“Today’s forum demonstrates the steady growth of our bilateral relations and our commitment to deepening them,” Zafirov said. “We greatly appreciate the People’s Republic of China’s efforts to foster real projects that deliver value to both the region and Europe as a whole.
”Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Dai Qingli highlighted the historic ties between the two nations, recalling 76 years of diplomatic relations and a decade of Belt and Road collaboration. She noted that Bulgaria was the second country in the world to recognize the People’s Republic of China, stating that “traditional friendship is the most valuable asset in our bilateral relations.”
“The pressing challenge now is to turn this traditional friendship into concrete cooperative outcomes, enhancing the sense of benefit and satisfaction for the peoples of both countries,” she added.
The forum opened with a cultural exhibition featuring calligraphy, traditional costumes, intangible heritage displays, and a tasting of Chinese and Bulgarian beverages.
Chinese and Bulgarian delegates also held working-group discussions on economic, cultural, and health cooperation, setting priorities for the next stage of Belt and Road collaboration.