In the afternoon of January 14, 2014, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council met with President Rosen Plevneliev of Bulgaria at the Great Hall of the People.

Li Keqiang said, for the past 65 years since the establishment of China-Bulgaria diplomatic relationship, bilateral relations have always enjoyed healthy and smooth development. Yesterday, President Xi Jinping announced with you the establishment of China-Bulgaria comprehensive friendly cooperative partnership. China and Bulgaria will take this opportunity to deepen practical cooperation and to expand exchanges in all fields so as to push for greater development of bilateral relations.

Li Keqiang pointed out, China-Bulgaria cooperation is highly complementary with broad prospects. China enjoys advanced technologies and rich experience in the fields of high-speed railways, highways, nuclear power and hydropower and is ready to positively join in infrastructure construction in Bulgaria. China encourages Chinese businesses to carry out cooperation on trade of agricultural products as well as agricultural research and development in Bulgaria and supports the two countries for expanding tourism cooperation. Hope Bulgaria will create favourable conditions for investment from Chinese businesses and provide visa facilitation for Chinese tourists traveling to Bulgaria.

Li Keqiang expressed, the China-CEEC Summit held recently has mapped out the blueprint for bilateral cooperation. China is ready to work with CEE countries including Bulgaria to well implement the outcomes of the Summit so as to better benefit both peoples and to push for all-dimensional and balanced development of China-Europe relations.

Plevneliev expressed that Bulgaria and China enjoy long-time friendship with fruitful cooperation in all fields. Bulgaria is willing to work with China to ensure success of the activities in celebration of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between the two countries, to expand cooperation in the fields of infrastructure construction, agriculture, education, scien-tech and tourism and to turn the profound traditional friendship and sound political relations between the two countries into more outcomes of practical cooperation. Chinese enterprises are welcomed to invest and develop their business in Bulgaria and the Bulgarian side will provide facilitation. Bulgaria, as a good friend of China inside the EU, is willing to play a positive and constructive role in promoting Europe-China relations and CEEC-China cooperation.