President Georgi Purvanov met the vice president of the People's Republic of China (PRC),  Xi Jinping, on October 15 2009, commemorating the 60th anniversary of both the PRC and diplomatic relations between the two countries, a government press statement said.

Jinping relayed greetings from president Hu Jintao to Purvanov in relation to the "strengthening of diplomatic and economic ties between both countries" following Purvanov's visit to China last year.

During the meeting, Jinping told Purvanov that China will aim to develop further its economic ties with the European Union because the bloc is now a major trading partner for China. Furthermore, he "depend on Bulgaria for economic ties with the Union to be developed further".

The Chinese deputy prime minister also invited Purvanov to attend the EXPO 2010 in Shanghai next year, a forum where 230 countries have confirmed their participation. The forum itself, which will last six months, is expected to attract more than 70 million visitors.

Purvanov told his Chinese colleague that Bulgaria always considered China a strategic partner, and that this notion is shared by all political factions in Bulgaria. As such, he said, Bulgaria would always support the notion of "One China".

The trade relationship between China and Bulgaria currently amounts to 1.3 billion euro annually, and Purvanov expressed his desire for that trade to be further increased. He said he expects "an increase of Chinese investments in the country because Bulgaria currently offers the best possible investment climate in the European Union", the press release said.

Six Bulgarian companies agreed on deals with Chinese companies on October 15, said to amount to $850 million.

The Chinese Great Wall Motor Sharing signed a shareholders agreement for four million US dollars with Bulgarian Litex aimed at facilitating the production of Chinese cars in the northern Bulgarian town of Lovech, while Aurubis Bulgaria AD and China Mine Metals Development reportedly agreed on a deal on the purchase of electrolytic copper worth $800 million.

President Purvanov and Jinping agreed that Bulgaria and China have "enormous potential" to develop their cultural, political and economic ties because "both nations have a rich and ancient history". Purvanov agreed to visit China during the official day of Bulgaria in the country, and invited his Chinese counterpart "to visit Bulgaria at his own convenience", the press statement reads.