Deputy President of the National Statistical Institute, Svilen Kolev, PhD met in Beijing with the Deputy Commissioner of the National Bureau of Statistics of China Mrs. Ruan Jianhong. Mr. Kolev presented to his Chinese host the activities of the NSI and the work towards full membership to the OECD and the Eurozone, and also current data on the Chinese economy such as GDP and inflation, methods of data collection and production in the field of macroeconomic statistics, new projects and future plans, and the possibilities for cooperation between the two institutions, were also discussed. This is the first official meeting between the leadership of the NSI and the National Bureau of Statistics of China.
Dr. Svilen Kolev is part of a delegation of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), which together with the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Beijing, organized a visit to China, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The delegation included representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Bulgarian Development Bank, the Bulgarian Investment Agency, the Fund of Funds, branch organizations and Bulgarian companies interested in the Chinese market.
During the mission, representatives of BCCI and partner organization visited the cities of Fuzhou, Xiamen and Beijing and met with representatives of local businesses and institutions with the goal of exchanging experience and good practices and discussing opportunities for expanding trade and economic relations between Bulgaria and China. The delegation had an intensive cultural, educational and business programmme, meetings with firms and institutions, including a visit to the exhibition center of leading Chinese companies. The guests visited the 24th edition of the China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) – one of the most influential international investment events in the world, annually attracting participants from governments, investment promotion organizations, business associations and multinational corporations from more than 100 countries and regions.
The visit ended with a meeting in the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Beijing, officially opened by H.E. Ambassador Andrey Tehov, who reviewed the bilateral relations. The “14+1” and “Belt and Road” initiatives were discussed. Some problems were also outlined, the main one being the trade imbalance that almost all EU countries face. Ambassador Tehov shared that the 18th session of the Bulgarian-Chinese Intergovernmental Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation lies ahead, which according to preliminary information will be held in 2025 in Sofia.
