Bulgaria, China call for efforts to enhance bilateral trade, economic cooperation

SOFIA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Ivo Marinov and his Chinese counterpart Jiang Yaoping called for efforts to enhance bilateral commercial and economic cooperation on Monday.

The two officials made the remarks while addressing a Bulgarian-Chinese business forum for companies in machine-building and electronics industry.

Bulgaria is an important partner of China in Southeast Europe and the Chinese government will make every effort to develop trade and economic ties between the two countries, said the Chinese vice minister of commerce.

China will provide good conditions for cooperation in high technology, he said.

Jiang called for cooperation in infrastructure as well and said China is ready to discuss relevant opportunities in Bulgaria.

Marinov said Bulgaria also attaches great importance to developing ties with China.

Bulgaria believes that electronics and electrical engineering, high technology, automotive and agriculture are among the priority sectors for expanding bilateral cooperation, Marinov said.

He also mentioned that his country wants to explore opportunities for Chinese investment in manufacturing components for power plants in the field of renewable energy sources.

Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Guo Yezhou, who also attended the event, said the bilateral economic and trade relations between China and Bulgaria have been evolving dynamically and successfully in recent years, and the prospects for their future development are very bright.

China's investment in Bulgaria increased by 320 percent last year, Guo said.