Chinese Vice President Han Zheng Meets Leaders of Bulgaria, Cambodia, Serbia

On September 7, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met separately in Xiamen with Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investment and Industry Pulev, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Mesarović. The meetings, held on the sidelines of the 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade, focused on expanding bilateral trade, leveraging free trade agreements, boosting cross-border investment, and addressing joint security priorities such as combating cyber fraud.

The diplomatic engagements at the Xiamen investment fair underscore Beijing's strategy of utilizing domestic trade expos for focused, practical bilateral diplomacy. The talks span key partners in Central and Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, reflecting China's focus on maintaining stable commercial ties with European Union member states, deepening industrial and law-enforcement cooperation in Southeast Asia, and capitalizing on newly established free trade agreements in the Balkans.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng held separate bilateral meetings on September 7 in Xiamen, Fujian province, with visiting senior officials from Bulgaria, Cambodia, and Serbia on the sidelines of the 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade, according to Xinhua. Meeting with Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investment and Industry Pulev, Han highlighted the steady progress of the China-Bulgaria strategic partnership, pointing to tangible results in agriculture, science, and technology. Han called for expanding bilateral trade volume, aligning investment opportunities, and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation. He also urged Bulgaria to play an active and constructive role in promoting the healthy and stable development of economic and trade relations between China and the European Union. In response, Pulev noted that Bulgaria values its relationship with Beijing, looks to learn from China's development experience, and welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest and do business locally. In his discussions with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia Sun Chanthol, Han cited recent meetings between President Xi Jinping and Cambodian leaders Hun Sen and Hun Manet that set directions for a comprehensive community with a shared future. Han underscored the need to maximize the China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Coordinating Committee, advance trade and investment integration, and broaden cooperation across key sectors. Sun Chanthol reaffirmed Cambodia's adherence to the One-China principle and expressed a commitment to deepening cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, Belt and Road initiatives, and joint efforts to combat online fraud. During his meeting with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Mesarović, Han observed that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Serbia. Han encouraged both sides to carry forward high-level consensus reached during President Xi's meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in May, leverage preferential terms established under their bilateral free trade agreement, and expand collaboration across infrastructure, emerging industries, and two-way investment. Mesarović reaffirmed Serbia's adherence to the One-China policy, thanked China for supporting its national development, and expressed readiness to better align the two nations' development strategies.