Georg Georgiev: “Bulgaria prioritises relations with China”
20 October 2017 News
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Georg Georgiev took part in the 3rd Working Meeting of the Association of the China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Provincial Governors under the 16+1 initiative, which was held in the City of Plovdiv.
Georg Georgiev welcomed the participants in the event, noting that it is yet another political proof of the priority importance that Bulgaria attaches to its relations with China and to the 16+1 initiative. The forum demonstrates the shared will to invigorate the dialogue and intensify cooperation between the CEE countries and China. Deputy Minister Georgiev stressed the potential of 16+1 as a platform for increasing the economic exchange with China. He pointed to the opportunities offered by economic zones and the Trakia Economic Zone in Plovdiv.
“As far as Bulgaria is concerned, the interconnection between the China-CEE Cooperation Initiative (16+1), the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU-China Connectivity Platform is of special significance. The implementation of concrete cooperation under all three platforms in line with and complying with the EU principles and standards like openness, reciprocity, inclusion, equal treatment of all economic entities is important to our country as a EU Member State. I am pleased to note that we meet with full understanding from our Chinese partners on this matter,” the Deputy Minister emphasised.
The 3rd Working Meeting of the Association of Provincial Governors enabled a strengthening of contacts between the 16+1 provinces, cities and regions and contributed to deepening people-to-people exchange among the participating countries.
The participants in the meeting were greeted by Plovdiv Regional Governor Zdrako Dimitrov (who is the formal host of the event), by China’s Ambassador to Bulgaria Zhang Haizhou, and by Plovdiv City Mayor Ivan Totev.
Taking part in the forum were seven Chinese provinces and cities, 17 Bulgarian regional governors and mayors, CEE local government officials and diplomats.
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