Bulgaria | Taiwan |
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Bulgaria–Taiwan relations refer to the relations betweenBulgaria (formally the Republic of Bulgaria) andTaiwan (formally the Republic of China).
Bulgaria and the Republic of China established diplomatic relations in 1941 duringWorld War II, but these were severed in 1949 following the ROC government's retreat to Taiwan and the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
In 1949, Bulgaria became one of the first countries to recognize the PRC, and since then, relations between Bulgaria and Taiwan have been conducted on a non-diplomatic level through representative offices that function as de facto embassies.
Although they do not maintain formal diplomatic ties, Bulgaria and Taiwan have developed cooperative links in economics, trade, culture, and education, and share values such as democracy, freedom, and human rights.
Following the end of World War II, Bulgaria recognized the People's Republic of China in October 1949, becoming the second country in the world to do so after the Soviet Union.
Bulgaria supported the PRC's accession to the United Nations in 1971, voting in favor ofUnited Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI), which transferred China's UN seat from Taipei to Beijing.[1]
In the decades that followed, relations between Bulgaria and Taiwan were limited, but non-official exchanges gradually grew, particularly in the post-Cold War era. Since the 1990s, Taiwan has sought to expand economic and cultural exchanges with Bulgaria as part of its broader engagement with Central and Eastern Europe.[2]
Taiwanese interests in Bulgaria are handled by theTaipei Representative Office in Hungary, which has concurrent accreditation to Bulgaria.[3]
Bilateral trade between Bulgaria and Taiwan has grown steadily in the 21st century. Taiwan's main exports to Bulgaria include electronic components, machinery, and ICT products, while Bulgaria exports agricultural products, wines, rose oil, and machinery to Taiwan.[4]
Both sides have promoted investment cooperation, particularly in high technology, renewable energy, and agricultural processing sectors.[5]
Taiwan and Bulgaria have expanded academic ties since the 2000s. Several Bulgarian universities, including Sofia University and the University of National and World Economy, have established exchange programs with Taiwanese institutions such asNational Chengchi University.[6]