Sixth int'l "The Silk Road" conference held in Sofia

SOFIA, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The sixth international conference "The Silk Road" kicked off here on Friday, bringing together sinologists and specialists from various aspects of China studies.

Participants from nearly 20 countries are to present 60 reports at the conference held online for the first time, covering a wide range of topics such as the economy, diplomacy, language, education and culture, medicine, and martial arts.

The Silk Road has long been a symbol of the ties between East and West, said Prof. Anastas Gerdjikov, rector of the Sofia University, at the opening ceremony.

It has proven that only cooperation and mutual enrichment of different cultures can be the basis of peace and progress for all humanity, he said.

Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Dong Xiaojun said that the ancient Silk Road, spanning thousands of miles and years, embodies the spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit.

"Today, we carry forward the spirit of the Silk Road with all countries along the route working together to push ahead Belt and Road cooperation on the basis of the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits," Dong said.

"We are all parts of a community with a shared future. We need to promote the spirit of the Silk Road and push forward high-quality Belt and Road cooperation so as to build a community with shared future for mankind in a more concrete and substantial manner," Dong said.

The event, held every two years since 2011 by the Confucius Institute at Sofia University, has gathered representatives from China, Bulgaria, Belarus, Britain, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Slovenia, Ukraine and the Czech Republic.