China’s State Councilor Wu Yi said that China will, as always, strengthen its friendship and cooperation with Bulgaria in various fields. She said that at a meeting with Nikolay Vassilev, Bulgaria's deputy prime minister and economy minister who pays an official visit to China. Noting that Bulgaria is China's important trade partner in the Balkans, Wu said the two countries have a firm foundation and great potential for cooperation. Vassilev stressed that Bulgaria attaches importance to the development of its relations with China, and that China is on Bulgaria's priority list of important partners. He said that the big business delegation he is leading demonstrated the importance his country attaches to its friendship and cooperation with China. Both sides agreed to further bilateral business exchanges and cooperation.