Strategic partnership and future initiatives between Ruse and China discussed by Mayor Pencho Milkov and Ambassador Dai Qingli

Saturday, 27 September 2025

An official meeting was held in the building of the Ruse Municipality between Mayor Pencho Milkov and H.E. Dai Qingli - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Bulgaria. The senior Chinese diplomat was welcomed in the building of the municipality according to an old Bulgarian custom with pita bread and colored salt. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Mayors Zlatomira Stefanova, Encho Enchev and Dimitar Nedev, as well as the ambassador's team: Zhang Yanbo - Advisor for Cultural Activities, Li Zeng - Third Secretary, and Chen Minghui - Secretary to the Ambassador.

The main topic of the meeting was the expansion of cooperation between Ruse and cities in China, with an emphasis on economic and cultural ties. The two sides agreed that they would contribute to strengthening bilateral relations and developing cooperation in various areas, including education, trade and tourism.

Pencho Milkov shared his positive impressions from his working visit to China in August, where he led an official delegation and held a number of meetings with representatives of state institutions and leading Chinese companies. He emphasized the strategic importance of Ruse as a transport and logistics hub along the Danube River and in the trans-European corridors, as well as the city’s potential for development in areas such as industrial zones, high-tech parks and renewable energy. Milkov expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation with China can bring significant benefits to the region and Bulgaria as a whole.

Milkov also shared his impressions from his participation a few days ago in the two-day conference in Sofia dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative. Milkov reiterated the key importance of Ruse as a transport and logistics hub along the Danube River. He stated that Ruse is a city with a vision for the future and is open to partnerships that promote economic growth and innovation. The talks also touched upon topics related to joint initiatives in the fields of education and tourism.

"The meeting with you and your team is another important stage in strengthening our relations with China. I am convinced that together we can implement fruitful projects that will create new opportunities for businesses in the region and citizens, while at the same time establishing our city as an important trade and cultural center. I am convinced that this will lead to mutual benefits and strengthen the positions of Ruse as an important trade and cultural center," said Mayor Milkov.

Ambassador Dai Qingli expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and emphasized the importance of the twinning between the two cities. "China and Bulgaria have deep historical and cultural ties. The twinning between Yichun and Ruse will be a new step in the development of our cooperation and will open up new opportunities for exchange and partnership," she noted.

The meeting also discussed upcoming events related to the celebration of the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bulgaria, which will be held on September 29 in Sofia.

Later in the day, Mayor Milkov and Ambassador Dai Qinli will open the second edition of the Dragon Boat Festival, which will be held in the Lipnik Forest Park. The event will start at 4 p.m. with a traditional ceremony of painting the eyes of a dragon, part of the exotic Asian vessels.

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