Chinese Premier Li Keqiang holds talks with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov in Sofia, Bulgaria, July 6, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Tao)
SOFIA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday called on his country and Bulgaria to seek greater synergy in development and elevate bilateral ties to a new level.
In his talks with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, Li said the two countries' complementary advantages and mutual needs in economic development provide broad prospects for bilateral practical cooperation.
China and Bulgaria, he suggested, should strengthen cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and in such fields as road and railway, infrastructure, nuclear energy and industrial park construction.
The Chinese premier also called for expanding bilateral trade and investment and promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.
"The Chinese government encourages competitive Chinese companies to invest and start business in Bulgaria," Li said, urging Bulgaria to provide them with preferential policies and a good business environment.
On deepening agricultural cooperation, Li said China is willing to import more Bulgarian specialty agricultural products that meet Chinese market needs.
The two sides, he added, should also strengthen cooperation in agricultural product cultivation and processing, agricultural science and technology, and breeding.
Li also called for concerted efforts to make a success of the demonstration park on agricultural cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries.
Borissov said that based on Bulgaria's location advantage and development needs, Bulgaria is willing to draw support from China's advanced technology and experience in infrastructure construction and cement bilateral cooperation in building roads, ports and airports.
Multiple cooperation documents in such areas as economy and trade, science and technology, agriculture, quality inspection and finance were inked after the talks.
A joint communique between the two governments were also released on Friday, in which Bulgaria expressed support for the Belt and Road Initiative and closer China-Europe connectivity.
According to the joint communique, the two sides will encourage their enterprises to reinforce cooperation in infrastructure construction, agriculture, tourism, new technologies, innovation and renewable energy.
The two governments also agreed to work to upgrade the scale and level of bilateral trade, and pledged joint efforts to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and safeguard the multilateral trading system.
