On October 8, 2026, during the 78th Frankfurt Book Fair, the signing ceremony for the Bulgarian edition of New HSK Course was held at the China Joint Booth. Co-hosted by the China-CEEC Publishing Association and Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press (FLTRP), the ceremony was attended by Peng Donglin, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of FLTRP; Gergana Kozareva, Head of Publishing at Iztok-Zapad Publishing House of Bulgaria; Li Tianming, Vice President of China Social Sciences Press; and Rexhep Hida, representative from Fan Noli Publishing House of Albania. Li Peize, Chairman and General Manager of Chinese Testing International (CTI), delivered a video address at the ceremony.

    The signing of this agreement brings together the strengths of CTI, FLTRP, and Iztok-Zapad Publishing House in exam standards development, international publishing, and localized operations, supporting the effective use of international Chinese language textbooks in Bulgaria and meeting the practical needs of local teachers and students, thus bringing new momentum to international Chinese language education as it deepens its presence in the Central and Eastern European market.

    Li Peize noted in his video address that the tripartite cooperation to publish New HSK Course in Bulgaria marks an important step forward in localizing Chinese language education resources. In recent years, as demand for Chinese language learning in Bulgaria has grown steadily, there has been an urgent need for textbooks such as New HSK Course that are tailored to the linguistic and cultural backgrounds of local learners and suited to local teaching practice. He expressed that CTI looks forward to working with its partners to continue delivering high-quality and accessible Chinese learning resources, using language as a bridge to deepen cultural exchanges between China and Bulgaria and enhance mutual understanding and trust.

    Peng Donglin noted that FLTRP and Iztok-Zapad Publishing House have jointly established a China-themed editorial department and released a range of China-themed titles, including Dream of the Red Chamber and Key Concepts in Chinese Thought and Culture, which have been well received in the Bulgarian market and serve as a model for cooperation among members of the China-CEEC Publishing Association. Developed in accordance with the HSK 3.0 standard, the New HSK Course series adopts a learner-centered approach, integrating authentic language scenarios with AI-powered learning tools and offering extensive digital resources and a smart learning platform. He expressed confidence that the Bulgarian edition will better serve the growing demand for Chinese language learning among Bulgarian readers and add new momentum to people-to-people exchanges between China and Bulgaria and to mutual learning among civilizations.

    Gergana Kozareva said that the Bulgarian edition of New HSK Course is another important outcome of the long-standing friendly cooperation between Iztok-Zapad Publishing House and FLTRP, and will provide high-quality resources for local Chinese language learners. She noted that language learning and book publishing can effectively enhance mutual understanding across cultures, and that dialogue, cooperation, and mutual inclusiveness are all the more important for the future. She expressed the hope that the signing will provide an opportunity to further deepen exchanges and friendship between Bulgaria and China.

    From cross-linguistic adaptation of textbook content to deep integration with local publishing resources and educational ecosystems, the launch of the Bulgarian edition of New HSK Course will strongly boost the high-quality development of international Chinese language education in Bulgaria and the Central and Eastern European region. Looking ahead, FLTRP and CTI will build on their textbook publishing efforts to cooperate with more international educational publishers, deepening their work in teaching resource development, teacher training, and smart digital learning services, bringing high-quality international Chinese language education to more overseas learners, using Chinese as a bridge for the international community to understand China, and turning publishing cooperation into an enduring force for people-to-people ties between China and other countries.