BEIJING, June 27, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Dejiang (R), chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with visiting Bulgarian Parliament speaker Tsetska Tsacheva, in Beijing, capital of China, June 27, 2016. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)
BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Top legislator Zhang Dejiang held talks with visiting Bulgarian Parliament speaker Tsetska Tsacheva on Monday and they pledged to support bilateral cooperation.
Hailing the traditional friendship between the two nations, Zhang, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that the bilateral relationship would follow the path mapped out by the heads of state of the two countries in a strategic blueprint.
In January 2014, President Xi Jinping and his Bulgarian counterpart Rosen Plevneliev announced the establishment of an all-round friendly cooperative partnership between the two countries.
The expanding cooperation has not only helped the economic and social development of the two countries, but also set a good example for cooperation between China and the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries as a whole, said the Chinese legislator.
Last week, Xi made his second visit to the CEE region this year, putting forward a series of proposals for closer cooperation between China and the region as well on building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
Zhang said the two sides should grasp the opportunity and align their development strategies, with the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-CEE cooperation as the bigger picture.
Zhang looked forward to closer exchanges and cooperation between the NPC and the Bulgarian parliament.
He suggested the two sides enhance political support, increase exchanges on governance, and provide more favorable legal and policy environments for investment and people-to-people exchanges.
Zhang called for a better "soft" environment featuring friendship and win-win cooperation for the development of bilateral ties.
Tsacheva said the Bulgarian side is appreciative of China's notion of peaceful development, the Belt and Road Initiative and the proposals for China-CEE cooperation.x The Bulgarian parliament stands ready to increase friendly interactions with the NPC and work together with the Chinese legislature to support reciprocal cooperation in trade, agriculture, infrastructure, science and education and other sectors, she added.
Tsacheva is in China from Sunday to Friday at the invitation of Zhang.
