SOFIA - A Bulgaria-China business forum that was held here on Tuesday drew representatives from some 50 companies and aimed to deepen bilateral ties between the countries.

Organized by the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Beijing Sub-Council (CCPIT Beijing), the event provided information to help Bulgarian and Chinese companies do business with each other.

Addressing participants, Lin Bin, vice-chairperson of CCPIT Beijing, said CCPIT and BCCI had maintained very good relations.

Lin said she sincerely hoped that the efforts of the two business associations would lead to Chinese and Bulgarian companies achieving better results.

Vasil Todorov, general secretary of BCCI, said in turn that Bulgarian business was interested in conducting more of such events with Chinese companies.

Todorov added that BCCI and CCPIT Beijing had been working successfully since 1985, and updated their cooperation agreement in 2015.

According to the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute, China was Bulgaria's second largest export destination outside the European Union (EU) and the third largest non-EU importer in 2016.