Chinese port city explores opportunities in Bulgaria

A delegation from the Chinese seaport city of Ningbo on Tuesday visited the Bulgarian district of Plovdiv to explore opportunities in economy, education and culture, officials said.

During the visit, organized by Bulgarian-Chinese Business Development Association (BCBDA) and the economic and commercial office at the Chinese embassy in Bulgaria, the Chinese delegation met with the district governor Rozalin Petkov and the Plovdiv Mayor Ivan Totev, and visited Trakia Economic Zone where the Euro-Chinese Economic Development Zone is located.

Meanwhile, Ningbo Council for Promotion of International Trade and BCBDA signed a Memorandum of Understanding, according to which they agreed to foster economic and cultural exchange and cooperation, BCBDA told Xinhua.

"Before arriving here, we met with our Chinese friends and partners who have already decided to invest in Bulgaria and in Plovdiv, so that this meeting is a practical step in this direction," Li Jianhua, Vice President of Ningbo Council for Promotion of International Trade, told Petkov and Totev according to a press release by Plovdiv District Administration.

Plovdiv, located some 150 km Southeast of the country's capital Sofia, last year signed a sister city agreement with another Chinese city, Shenzhen, with some 60 Chinese companies and 40 potential counterparts from Bulgaria participating Plovdiv--Shenzhen Investment and Cooperation Conference.