Premier Li Keqiang met with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on July 1 in Dalian, Northeast China’s Liaoning province.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of Sino-Bulgarian diplomatic ties, which has gone through many changes in the international situation but maintained stable development, the Premier said.

China is ready to push forward the traditional friendship, mutual beneficial cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, the Premier said. The two sides should better coordinate their development strategies, promoting cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture and technologies based on the principle of two-way opening.

In addition, China is willing to join Bulgaria in cooperation under the China-EU and China-CEEC frameworks, the Premier said.

In April, the China-CEEC Global Partnership Center was officially inaugurated. China is willing to step up the follow-up work to bolster the cooperation with CEE countries in economy, trade and investment, and protect multilateralism and free trade with each side.

For his part, Radev said China is an important partner of Bulgaria. His country will expand cooperation with China in trade, investment, technology and people-to-people exchanges. He also said he hopes direct flights can be opened soon, adding that Bulgaria will actively participate in China-CEEC cooperation.

State Councilors Wang Yi and Xiao Jie, and He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, also attended the meeting.