10.11.2025 / Ongoing visits and lectures in the framework of the Seminar on Rose Industry, Innovations and Cosmetics in China
The Seminar on Rose Industry, Innovations and Cosmetics, which began on October 27, 2025, continues with new visits, lectures, and meetings in the Chinese cities of Kunming, Nanning, Ningbo, and Shanghai. The opening ceremony of the seminar took place on October 29, 2025, in Kunming, the capital of the southern Chinese province of Yunnan. During the opening, Mr. Li Zhongkan, Director of the Yunnan Center for International Economic and Technical Exchange, emphasized that in recent years, bilateral trade between China and Bulgaria has continued to grow steadily. In 2024, it reached nearly US$4.5 billion, with Chinese exports amounting to US$2.8 billion and imports to US$1.2 billion.
Li Zhongkan added that by the end of 2024, China and Bulgaria’s accumulated direct investments amount to $165 million, noting that Bulgaria has exceptional advantages and a unique place in the global rose industry. Li Zhongkan noted that China, for its part, has a strong position in the processing of plant extracts and is an important export market for Bulgarian products, with approximately 30% of Bulgarian rose oil exports destined for China. Therefore, the potential for cooperation between China and Bulgaria in the field of rose production is enormous.
During the official opening of the seminar, the Head of Crop Production Directorate at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr. Petar Kirovski, expressed his gratitude on behalf of the Bulgarian delegation participating in the seminar. He noted the participants’ great interest in China’s national characteristics, culture, history, and traditions. Mr. Kirovski added that it was important for all participants to learn about the method of rose selection in China, as well as the market analyses and prospects that would be presented for the so-called “deep processing” of roses. The seminar is also a good opportunity for Bulgarian and Chinese participants to exchange views on these issues.
During their stay in Kunming, seminar participants attended a series of thematic lectures, including a lecture by Prof. Zhao Liangjun from China Agricultural University on Standardized Cultivation Techniques for Cut Roses; a lecture on the Prospects of China’s Rose Deep Processing Industry; a lecture on Post-harvest Storage and Transportation Technology for Rose Cut Flowers. Through these lectures, the representatives of the Bulgarian delegation learned that in China, roses are part of a national strategy for the development of high-yield agricultural niches, and that roses in China are widely used not only in cosmetics but also in the food industry.
On November 6, 2025, the Seminar participants attended the opening ceremony of the International Smart Agriculture Exhibition and took part in the Smart Agriculture Innovation Conference in Nanning, Guangxi Province. Mr. Petar Kirovski from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food delivered a speech on behalf of Bulgaria during the opening ceremony. The conference discussed various aspects of smart agriculture, the role of science, innovation, and modern technologies.
The Seminar on Rose Industry, Innovations and Cosmetics will continue until November 12, 2025, with a visit to the Liaison Office and Permanent Pavilion of APACCCEEC in Ningbo and a visit to the 8th China International Import Expo in Shanghai.
The Seminar will be attended by 28 representatives from companies in the rose production and cosmetics sector, academia in the field of rose research and agribusiness, agricultural media, as well as governmental and non-governmental sectors. The Seminar is organized by APACCCEEC in cooperation with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Sofia and Yunnan International Center for Economic and Technical Exchange.
