SOFIA - The Association for the Promotion of Agricultural Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries was officially launched here on Friday.

Zeng Yichun, head of the Chinese agricultural delegation, warmly congratulated all parties involved on the official kick off during his opening speech at a meeting between agriculture ministers here.

Zeng said the "16 plus 1" -- CCE countries and China -- cooperational mechanism set out by respective leaders was in line with everyone's common aspirations and fundamental interests.

Vasil Grudev, Bulgarian deputy minister of agriculture and food, said in his presiding speech that the support of China and CEE countries for the establishment of such an association in Bulgaria showed that they had confidence in Bulgaria and highly valued the level of development of multilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture.

The agricultural ministers' representatives from other CEE countries spoke of their beliefs that agriculture plays an important role in cooperation and expressed their wishes for the association's goals to be fully achieved between their countries and China.

Authorities of China and Bulgaria reached a consensus that an institution be set up in Bulgaria to promote agricultural cooperation between China and CEE countries in January 2014. A memorandum was signed in Bucharest between the agricultural ministries of China and Bulgaria in October of 2014.