Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd R) and his wife Peng Liyuan (1st R) pose for photos with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev (2nd L) and his wife in Beijing, capital of China, July 3, 2019. Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev here Wednesday. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev here Wednesday, and they decided to lift state-to-state ties to a strategic partnership.