Grand Mufti received delegation of the China Islamic Association

The Grand Mufti Dr. Mutafa Hadzhi received a delegation from the China Islamic Association led by the Vice President Ibrahim Hong Chang Yu and a representative in the National People’s Congress of China.
The senior representatives of the Muslims in China are on a three-day official visit in Bulgaria in order to learn about our country and Bulgarian Muslim community. Members of the delegation are Zhang Guanglin, deputy general secretary of China Islamic Association (CIA), Min Junking, editor of “Chinese Muslim” magazine, Min Chang, secretary at the International Department.
“It is a great honor for us to welcome you in Bulgaria. We keep regular relations with similar Muslim organizations all over the world, but for a first time we meet representatives of such from the People’s Republic of China”, said the Grand Mufti Dr. Mustafa Hadzhi. According to him wherever in world the Muslims live they should keep good relations and support each other.
“Thank you for your kind hospitality, I would like to send you regards and best wishes from Sheikh Hilaluddin Chen Guangyuan, President of CIA. It is a privilege for us to lay the foundations of the cooperation between our two organizations”, said the Vice President Ibrahim Hong Chang Yu. According to him the cooperation with the Bulgarian Muslims is of a great importance because they are a small but consolidated community compared to China and have centuries-old traditions that need to be known and acquired.
CIA is the official Islamic organization representing the Muslims on China and includes 500 regional organizations though which they meet the needs of the Muslims. It is established in 1952 with a headquarter in Beijing. The number of the Muslims in China is 23 million which is 1.5 % of the total population there. The organization has 45 000 mosques and each of them has one or more imams.
The Chinese delegation is on a study visit in Europe and they have already visited Turkey, Great Britain, Russia, Romania and now Bulgaria.