Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova, who assumed office on January 23, 2026, following the Constitutional Court's approval of former President Rumen Radev's resignation, has spoken highly of China's remarkable ability to integrate cutting-edge technology with its profound ancient heritage.

In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) released on Friday, Iotova shared vivid impressions from her recent visit to Beijing for the 2025 Global Leaders' Meeting on Women, including tours of iconic sites like the Forbidden City and the Great Wall.

"You know, this is actually my third time visiting your beautiful country. The first was in 1995, exactly thirty years ago, when the Fourth World Conference on Women was held in Beijing. At the time, I was a guest of your television station, and to this day, I still treasure those warm and wonderful memories. A few years later, I visited Beijing again, as well as Wuhan and Shanghai. Now, I've returned once more. There's a saying: if you leave behind a coin before departing, it means you'll have the chance to come back one day. So today, before I return to Sofia, to Bulgaria, I'll leave a coin here in Beijing, hoping I'll have the opportunity to visit again," said Iotova.

"I've found that your cities and your country have undergone tremendous changes. The moment I got off the plane, I was struck by how clean both the air and the streets were. Beijing today is a truly impressive city, lush with greenery, filled with modern architecture, and brimming with convenient amenities. I can only imagine how much effort and hard work the Chinese people have dedicated to reaching this level and achieving such accomplishments," she said.

"What's more, you've achieved a perfect fusion between cutting-edge technology and your ancient civilization. This can be deeply felt both in the Forbidden City and on the Great Wall. Here, people can almost travel through time and experience the wisdom accumulated over thousands of years. You should feel proud to be the fortunate inheritors of such a rich civilization and profound history. This is a true treasure of humanity," said Iotova.

On January 23, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Bulgaria approved the resignation of President Rumen Radev, which he had submitted earlier that week. In accordance with the Bulgarian Constitution, then Vice President Iliana Iotova has assumed the presidency for the remainder of the term, which runs until January 2027.