SOFIA -- Bulgaria and China signed a memorandum on cooperation in information technologies and communications here Friday.

The agreement, signed by the Bulgarian Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski, and the Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei, covers areas such as broadband technologies, e-government, joint research projects and support for business development.

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Moskovski told the signing ceremony information technologies and communications could become one of top areas of cooperation between Bulgaria and China, while Miao said the agreement would expand ties and the partnership between the two countries in this field.

Miao said he had invited representatives of two large Chinese companies, Huawei and ZTE, to attend the signing ceremony. He hoped the signing of the memorandum would enable these companies to expand their operations in the construction of Bulgaria's communication network and building intelligent information systems.

Miao said they would also like to use the memorandum as a basis for deepening cooperation and opening new opportunities for partnership between companies from both countries and thereby contribute to the further development of the traditionally good relations and ties between China and Bulgaria.

Earlier on Friday, Miao met with senior representatives of the Bulgarian Association of Information Technologies (BAIT) and the Bulgarian Association of Software Companies (BASSCOM), who put forward their ideas for cooperation with China.