Dr. Ivo Ganchev Announces Free Access to Key Chapter on Bulgarian-Chinese Relations
Dr. Ivo Ganchev is pleased to announce that his comprehensive book chapter, “Making the Case for a New Coherent Bulgarian Strategy Towards China: A Practitioner’s Analysis of Bilateral Political and Economic Relations (2015-2022),” is now available for free open access.
This chapter is featured in the authoritative volume The Dragon at the Gates of Europe: Chinese Presence in the Balkans and Central-Eastern Europe, edited by Andrea Bogoni and Brian F. G. Fabrègue, prominent experts at the Luxembourg and Poland-based think tank, Blue Europe. Blue Europe is dedicated to driving European growth by leveraging the potential of the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) region. The book offers a thorough examination of the geopolitical implications of China’s expanding influence in the region, with reflections from both regional and international stakeholders. With contributions from 23 leading experts, it is an essential resource for policymakers, academics, analysts, and anyone interested in understanding the evolving dynamics of this strategically crucial part of Europe amidst China’s growing global influence.
In his chapter, Dr. Ganchev provides a detailed analysis of the bilateral relations between Bulgaria and China from 2015 to 2022, critically assessing the political, trade, and business dimensions of this relationship. He highlights the limited outcomes of high-level political dialogues and embassy activities, noting that these have yet to translate into significant progress. On the trade front, he identifies key trends, including Bulgaria’s growing trade deficit and the disparity in the product mix—Bulgarian exports largely consist of primary sector goods, while Chinese exports are dominated by secondary sector products. In the business realm, Dr. Ganchev reveals that interactions between Bulgarian and Chinese companies have been sporadic and limited, further underscoring the need for a more strategic approach.
Dr. Ganchev argues that Bulgaria’s lack of a coherent strategy in its engagement with China has led to missed opportunities and less favorable outcomes. He concludes the chapter with a strong call for Bulgaria to develop and implement a national strategy for bilateral engagement with China, anchored in a clear vision, realistic goals, and coordinated actions. To support this process, he offers ten specific recommendations for the Bulgarian government, providing a practical roadmap for strengthening bilateral relations.
Reflecting on the release, Dr. Ganchev, an expert member of Blue Europe, expressed his enthusiasm: “I’m excited to partner with Blue Europe in making this analysis freely accessible. This collaboration highlights our shared commitment to delivering strategic insights that can inform and guide European policy-making.”
This chapter is an invaluable resource for policymakers, business leaders, and academics focused on European-Asian relations, equipping them with the strategic insights needed to navigate the complexities of Bulgaria-China relations effectively.
The ten recommendations from Dr. Ganchev’s chapter for the Bulgarian government are also listed here:
1. Task specific officials to compile and maintain a clear record of data related to economic engagement between Bulgaria and China in order to effectively inform strategic and policy decisions.
2. Set intended outcomes of Bulgaria’s bilateral relations with China and establish working coordination mechanisms between key actors, including ministries, agencies as well as the teams of the Prime Minister and the President’s Office.
3. Define the economic interest of Bulgaria vis-à-vis China in terms of specific aims related to the bilateral trade balance, the types of products that Bulgaria seeks to export and the types of investment it seeks to receive.
4. Reach agreement regarding said economic interest with the business community and either establish an initiative for maintaining regular coordination and communication with them, or entrust a specific organization (e.g., chamber of commerce) to do this.
5. Prepare realistic proposals for joint projects with China which are in line with the general economic development strategy of Bulgaria and with the perception and image that the country seeks to maintain in China.
6. Attend leader meetings at the highest level with the aim of signing concrete agreements for the realization of said projects; leverage the pressure that Chinese officials have to secure good publicity and use these opportunities to reach agreements which have a clear benefit for Bulgaria.
7. Increase the number of Bulgarian officials who are dispatched to China at the Embassy to Beijing and appoint at least two more commercial counselors to the provinces of Guangdong and Chengdu or similar locations.
8. Provide practical training to all Bulgarian officials in China and actively encourage them to employ non-traditional strategies (e.g., deeper engagement with provincial governments) to counterbalance asymmetric aspects of the bilateral relationship.
9. Engage all available institutional and human resources which are available (e.g., EU SME Centre, the EU-China Chamber of Commerce and Chinese CCPITs, among others); motivate more Bulgarians located in China or studying Chinese to get involved in helping achieve national aims.
10. Incentivize Bulgarian officials and relevant organizations to be pro-active in engaging with their counterparts; ensure that not all bilateral cooperation projects are proposed and initiated by the Chinese side.
The full chapter is available on the website of Blue Europe.
To learn more about Dr. Ganchev’s publications, visit the Read section of his website.
