On June 23, 2026, the 2026 China-CEEC Global Partnership Center Conference and “China-CEEC Cooperation in the New Era” International Symposium were successfully convened in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. The event was jointly hosted by China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) and Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski".

　　Remarks were delivered by Ambassador Chen Guoyou, Special Representative of the China Ministry of Foreign Affairs for China-CEEC Cooperation Affairs; Ambassador Dai Qingli, Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria; Mr. Liu Feitao, Vice President of the China Institute of International Studies; and Ms. Reneta Bozhankova, Vice Rector of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", among others. Approximately 50 scholars from China and Central and Eastern European countries, including Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia, Slovenia, and Croatia, attended the conference. Participants highly praised the practical achievements and development opportunities of China-CEEC cooperation.

　　The China-CEEC Global Partnership Center (GPC) was officially inaugurated during the eighth China-CEEC leaders’ meeting in 2019. The GPC is dedicated to providing policy recommendations and intellectual support for China-CEEC pragmatic cooperation through think tank exchanges, joint research, training courses, and other forms of collaboration. The GPC operates under the dual-presidential institutes mechanism, on Chinese side is China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), and on Bulgarian side is Centre for China Economy and Politics, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", which was newly appointed during the conference.

Special Representative Ambassador Chen Guoyou Delivered Remarks

Ambassador Dai Qingli Delivered Remarks

CIIS Vice President Liu Feitao Delivered Remarks

Vice Rector Reneta Bozhankova Delivered Remarks

Unveiling Ceremony for the Newly Appointed GPC Presidential Institute from Bulgarian Side

Group Photo