Bulgarian president pledges support for Chinese investors

PLOVDIV, Bulgaria, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev said here on Tuesday evening that Bulgaria welcomes and supports Chinese investors to carry out projects in the country.

He made the statement during a gala dinner at the end of the Bulgarian-Chinese forum for investment and tourism "Discover and Invest in Bulgaria."

Hours before the Bulgarian parliament votes on the new government in the country's capital Sofia on Wednesday morning, Plevneliev told participants of the forum that governments, politicians and chiefs "come and go, but the Bulgarian-Chinese relations are very important for us."

"We want our friendship to blossom, we want to ... realize the measures proposed by the Chinese government on promoting cooperation between China and countries in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly Bulgaria," Plevneliev said.

"Today, China is ... one of the largest trade partners of Bulgaria, and we welcome and support the Chinese investors in their desire to carry out projects on the territory of our country," the president said.

Trade between Bulgaria and China reached a record last year, and Chinese investment in Bulgaria accelerated strongly in the last three years, he said.

"We will be glad if more Chinese investors and businessmen benefit from the competitive advantages of our country," Plevneliev said.

Bulgaria had special mechanisms to support investors that would be individually designed to each of them, and institutions opened for support, the president said.

"We expect many joint projects in infrastructure, technology, green economy, funds for joint investment, joint development of economic and technological zones, boosting trade and investment between the two countries, as well as joint projects in the fields of education, culture and tourism," he said.

Bulgaria would work very actively on implementation of such projects, the president said.

"I myself, as president of Bulgaria, want personally to guarantee the success of your investment in Bulgaria," Plevneliev said.

He also pointed out specific projects that the two countries could realize together, such as "Black Sea" motorway, cargo airport near Stara Zagora, Plovdiv Airport, Bulgarian Black Sea ports of Varna and Burgas, and a chain of industrial zones. Agriculture also has a huge potential, Plevneliev said.

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