SOFIA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The approaching 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bulgaria would boost bilateral cooperation, a Chinese official said here on Thursday.

Yan Jianqun, Chinese charge d'affaires in Sofia, said Bulgaria was the second country in the world to recognize new China in 1949, and the governments of the two countries would jointly organize a series of events to celebrate this anniversary.

This good occasion would also provide a great impetus for further bilateral cooperation in areas such as healthcare, culture and tourism, said Yan who was invited to address the annual meeting of the members of Bulgaria National Association for the Belt and Road.

Meanwhile, he expressed satisfaction that in 2018 the friendly relations and cooperation in various fields such as economy, finance and culture have achieved "tremendous successes."

In particular, Yan recalled that in July 2018, during the visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to Bulgaria and his participation in the seventh leaders' meeting of China and 16 Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs), the two countries reached a number of important consensuses on cooperation in different areas.

Yan underlined that the two countries are now actively communicating on the preparation for the establishment of the Global Partnership Center of CEECs and China in Bulgaria.