Wang Yi Meets the Press Jointly with Bulgarian Foreign Minister and Shares Four Takeaways from Eurasia Trip

On October 19, 2026 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met the press in Sofia jointly with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova and shared his four impressions from the Eurasian tour.

Wang Yi expressed his pleasure to visit Bulgaria. He said he met respectively with President Iliana Iotova, Prime Minister Rumen Radev and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Poulev, and had a comprehensive and in‑depth exchange with Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova, reaching broad consensus. Both sides agreed that Bulgaria’s development is embracing new hopes, and China-Bulgaria strategic cooperation is also facing new opportunities. China is ready to work with Bulgaria to seize the opportunities and build on the momentum, be strategic partners for common development and revitalization, for Eurasian connectivity, and upholding multilateralism, and promote the upward and positive development of China‑Europe relations through more active, pragmatic and dynamic China‑Bulgaria relations.

Wang Yi noted that during this tour, he attended the CICA Summit as special representative of President Xi Jinping, and visited Azerbaijan, Croatia, Montenegro and Bulgaria. He would like to take this opportunity to share his impressions of the Eurasian tour.

First, trust is the cornerstone of peace. A deficit of trust is looming large in today’s world fraught with changes and turbulence. From the Ukraine crisis to hostilities in the Middle East, trust is essential for conflict resolution and must be built through communication. As a responsible major country, China has been working consistently for peace. During the CICA Summit, he held talks respectively with the leaders of Israel and Palestine, met with representatives of other Middle East countries, and listened to the views of the leaders of Balkan countries on the Ukraine crisis and the regional situation. We have a clear message for all parties: stay confident, demonstrate perseverance, commit to dialogue and consultation, pursue mutual understanding and accommodation, rebuild trust and work for peace. China will always stand on the right side of history, and make its contributions as a responsible major country to eliminating trust deficits and resolving crises and conflicts.

Second, friendship is an invaluable asset. Azerbaijan’s Silk Road heritage sites are a testament to the millennium-long friendship between the people of China and Azerbaijan. Marco Polo came from present-day Croatia and is a household name in China. An entire generation of Chinese grew up singing “Bella Ciao,” a beautiful melody associated with Montenegro’s Tara River Bridge. Bulgaria hosts the first Confucius Institute and the first China Cultural Center in the Balkans. I am delighted to learn that Montenegro contestants have claimed three global championships at the global Chinese Proficiency Competition. Spanning centuries and transcending geographical distance, our friendship endures to this day, keeping alive the ancient Silk Road spirit and the close bonds between the civilizations of Asia and Europe. Ours is a precious friendship, and we must make sure it remains vibrant in a constantly evolving world.

Third, cooperation is a strong driving force. As partners in Belt and Road cooperation, all four countries are seeing tangible results. A large number of signature projects are contributing significantly to local development. Azerbaijan now has its first large-scale new energy project, the Gobustan solar power plant. Croatia’s Pelješac Bridge stands as a model of C-C-EU cooperation. Montenegro’s Bar-Boljare highway is a “project of the century” connecting the region. Bulgaria is becoming a European leader in energy storage, buoyed by its partnerships with China. Our cooperation suits the realities of the countries, meets the people’s needs, and is oriented toward the future. China will work with the four countries to unlock more potential and generate greater impact. We will strengthen existing cooperation in the economy and trade, investment, and infrastructure, actively align Belt and Road cooperation with the Middle Corridor, and look for more opportunities in new quality productive forces, such as AI and green transition, to create new engines and new impetus for the development and revitalization of our countries.

Fourth, partnership is our common goal. China’s foreign policy seeks partnership rather than alliance, and dialogue rather than confrontation. We advocate a new type of international relations and greater democracy in international relations. The three Balkan countries visited are all good friends and good partners of China. They all hope for the sound and steady development of China-Europe relations, and all look forward to strengthening China-CEEC cooperation. China will remain an open, solid and trustworthy and long-term strategic partner of the Balkan countries. We share the belief that state-to-state relations, regional cooperation and China‑Europe relations can all move forward without impinging on one another. Actually, they can reinforce one another. Essentially, they are all about building partnerships. These three engines can work in synergy, as their common goal is win‑win cooperation. China and the EU have just made progress in trade and investment consultations. It shows that China and the EU are fully capable of handling differences properly through dialogue and consultation. China is convinced that openness brings progress while seclusion leads to backwardness. We will work with Europe to practice multilateralism and free trade, and jointly bring about China‑EU win‑win cooperation at a new and higher level. China’s cooperation with central and eastern Europe reflects the trend of our times and responds to the development needs of the region, It is also conducive to European integration. With its 15th anniversary coming up next year, China is ready to work with countries in the region to celebrate the occasion and strive to upgrade our cooperation.

Wang Yi said that Bulgaria is a famous land of roses. As the Chinese saying goes, “Roses given, fragrance in hand.” China firmly believes that helping others is fulfilling oneself. China is ready to continue working with countries including Bulgaria to safeguard peace and stability, promote prosperity and revitalization, enhance mutual learning between civilizations, and make unremitting efforts to jointly build a community with a shared future for humanity.

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