SOFIA, April 24-- The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) here on Friday signed a scientific cooperation agreement, aimed at extending the scope of their cooperation.

According to the agreement, signed by the president of the two institutions Wang Weiguang and Stefan Vodenicharov, the parties will, on a basis of mutual benefit, promote academic cooperation in the fields of social sciences and humanities between Chinese and Bulgarian researchers.

The cooperation will be carried out through joint research projects, which will last for a period of three years, with equal cost-sharing, the agreement defines.

Sharing opinions at the signing ceremony, Wang made three proposals related to the implementation of the agreement, including conducting a joint study on the implementation of Chinese's "One Belt, One Road" initiative; develop a mechanism on collaboration between Chinese and Bulgarian think tanks; and carry out a comparative study on social development of the two countries.

In turn, Vodenicharov said the suggestions were very important, and their implementation would benefit the two sides.

Vodenicharov also awarded Wang with Honorary Insignia for his achievements in the study of important theoretical issues in the field of philosophy.

Earlier on Friday, while addressing a China-Bulgaria round-table conference on comparative studies of social development, Wang said that by comparing and analyzing the similarities and differences between China and Bulgaria, the two sides could gain a better understanding of the common patterns and rules for the development.

Wang said that against the backdrop of the enhancement of the China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the widening of political, economic and cultural communication between China and Bulgaria, comparative research on social development of these two countries holds significance not only academically, but also practically.

Rumiana Stoilova, Director of the Institute for the Study of Societies and Knowledge at BAS, which hosted the conference, said she has found three possible topics of common research interest, including middle class, urban and sustainable development, and young people employment.

Bulgaria was the second country in the world to recognize China in 1949, and last January the two sides established an all-round friendly partnership in order to cement the traditional friendship and promote comprehensive bilateral cooperation.