Connecting the World, Ningbo Extends Its Invitation. The 4th China-CEEC Expo is scheduled to take place in Ningbo from May 22 to 25.
The China-CEEC Expo stands as the sole national-level institutional exhibition in China tailored towards CEECs. It serves as a vital bridge, facilitating enhanced cooperation between China and these nations.
During the past three China-CEEC Expos, China, with its inclusive spirit, has orchestrated a platform for global trade, promoting collaboration and mutual benefits. The expo has inspired stories of participants "arriving with enthusiasm and departing satisfied", exemplifying the "Ningbo Model" of cooperation between China and CEECs. As the spotlight shines on the 4th China-CEEC Expo on May 22, this "golden channel" stretching across Eurasia will once again come into focus, transforming more "Chinese stories" into global dialects.
Hoisting the Sail of Openness
Exploring the "Time and Space Convergence" of Ports with Land and Sea
In early March, the resounding whistle from Chuanshan Port in Ningbo Zhoushan Port pierced the sky—the "KAWA NINGBO" ship, carrying 325 containers of lithium batteries bound for Wilhelmshaven, Germany. This event marked the relaunch of the 'China-Europe Express,' the fastest maritime route linking the Yangtze River Delta to Europe.
Upon arrival, the goods were efficiently distributed to Hungary and Poland via multimodal transport, completing the entire journey in just 30 days, a remarkable reduction of one-third in transit time.
Meanwhile, under the veil of night at Meishan Port in Ningbo Zhoushan Port, the alluring scent of Polish apples became entwined with the salty and humid sea breeze within the freezers of an ocean-faring cargo vessel.
This shipment of CEE specialties, having embarked from Piraeus Port, Greece, and traveled via the 'China-Europe Land-Sea Express Line,' seamlessly reached the East China market through a 'Green Channel' within 48 hours, enhancing efficiency by 30% compared to traditional routes.
In October 2024, the Meishan International Cold Chain Base successfully passed the GACC' inspection, further enhancing the import capacity of Ningbo Port.
On the dispatch board at Ningbo Zhoushan Port, two prominent dark routes stand out—one is the "China-Europe Land-Sea Express Line," linked with the Piraeus Port in Greece, and the other is the "China-Europe Express," which will have its maiden voyage on December 30, 2024. This fastest maritime route from the Yangtze River Delta to Europe takes just 26 days to reach Germany and 30 days to arrive in the heart of CEE, offering a "Ningbo Speed" that opens new channels for the export of China's "New Three".
Port Officer Li Min observed,"Previously, CEE red wine required multiple transfers. Now, the 'China-Europe Express' offers direct port-to-port shipping, and specialized cargo like lithium batteries can be swiftly distributed through Wilhelmshaven's classified warehouses."
This advantageous channel fosters an evolution in trade ecosystems.
In 2024, the total import value of agricultural products such as meat, seafood, and fresh and dried fruits at Ningbo Port reached RMB 7.76 billion. Significantly, the value of frozen fruits imported from CEECs rose by 110.1% compared to 2018.
The expert database for risk assessment of CEE agricultural and food products, established by Ningbo Customs, has been instrumental in facilitating the entry of Albanian honey and Polish wild aquatic products. This significantly enhances Ningbo Port's capability to leverage the siphonic effect of importing premium agricultural and food products from CEE.
Sailing on the Ship of Cooperation
Exploring the "Capillaries" of the Distribution Network
Serving as the General Manager of Ningbo Beihong Import and Export Co., Ltd., Chen Yunbin recently shifted roles. On March 2, he attended a foreign trade symposium held by the Ministry of Commerce in Shanghai as the sole representative of Ningbo's private enterprises. By the 6th, he donned the badge of "CEE Commodity Promotion Officer" and commenced preparations for the beauty counter in Ningbo Free Trade Zone.
"Imports and exports are akin to breathing; one must maintain rhythm," says this veteran of foreign trade who logs enough flight miles annually to circle the globe three times. Reviewing his negotiation log reveals that in February, he traversed three continents in 20 days to secure beauty product agency rights in Krakow, Poland. Additionally, the Polish goat milk lotion he introduced seven years ago now stands as the top-selling item at the Tmall CEE Pavilion. The personal care products from CEE that he acts as agent boast annual sales exceeding RMB 10 million, and his products have never been absent from the best-seller lists at the three China-CEEC Expos.
Opening the photo album on his smartphone, Chen Yunbin illustrated an impressive trade cycle: daily necessities manufactured in Ningbo are transported to Poland via the China-Europe Railway Express, while the returning trains bring back the latest YOLYN cosmetics from Poland to Ningbo Zhoushan Port. "Consumers transition from novel purchases to repeat buys, while our channels evolve from initial testing to in-depth cultivation. This represents a true win-win scenario for both buyers and sellers," he remarked. As he spoke, he placed another document into his suitcase—a guideline on the cosmetic import standards from CEECs—thinking it might prove useful on his next business trip.
In the CEEC Commodities Permanent Exhibition Pavilion, Polish exhibitor Jarzebska gently caressed the packaging of Lowicz milk on the shelf: "This is China's largest hub for CEE consumer goods, with more than 5,000 unique stories behind each of the 5,000-plus products available here."
The "Hi Shopping in CEE" festival, initiated in 2022, witnessed the Ningbo CEE Commodities Permanent Exhibition Pavilion teaming up with 5 online platforms and 18 offline outlets, successfully selling 50,000 units of best-selling products. The CEE Premium Products Direct Sales Center, located at the Ningbo Hangzhou Bay Cross-sea Bridge Service Area, acting as a 'Silk Road Station on the Highway Network', has introduced Bulgarian rose honey tea and Czech crystal cups into the passing traffic from all directions.
This dedicated spirit is redefining the landscape of international trade.
Recently, the introduction of Bulgarian energy bars and Polish healthcare products made waves, marking a significant year-on-year growth in import value...
Incubated by the 3rd China-CEEC Expo in Cixi city, the Romanian eMAG Yangtze River Delta Operations Center has attracted over 200 CEE brands.
Across multiple Ningbo Direct Sales Centers for imported goods throughout the country, Xinjiang customers savor Slovenian honey while Yunnan tea traders note the sheen of Czech crystal compared to that of Jianshui purple pottery. This illustrates a 'capillary-style' distribution network orchestrated by Ningbo.
Gathering the Momentum of Innovation
Echoing the "Cultural Puzzle" in Various Fields
At the Minth Group's digital workshop in Serbia, engineer Marko carries a yellowed notebook in his work pocket that records his training insights from the Ningbo Chunxiao Base: alongside a quality inspection flowchart annotated in Serbian is the pinyin phrase "Jiao Guan Zan". This young engineer, who participated in the China-Serbian technical standards discussion, innovatively developed an "intelligent detection adaptation system." This system successfully merges Chinese technology with European industrial standards, boosting production line efficiency by 30%.
The grafting of such technologies has triggered a significant ripple effect: Ningbo's technology trade volume with CEECs has grown eightfold over the past decade, with "high-demand products" like new energy vehicle components accounting for over 40%. In Pécs, Hungary, the Minth plant has seamlessly integrated 95% automated production lines with localized management practices.
By the end of 2024, Ningbo had established a total of 84 investment projects in CEECs, with an investment volume reaching USD 1.19 billion. Compared to the end of 2014, the number of projects has doubled, while the investment scale has expanded 50-fold. Notably, since 2021, newly added investments have exceeded USD 800 million.
On the cobbled paths of Ningbo Old Bund, Bulgarian artist Anna deftly navigates between the intricate cinnabar wood carvings and Eastern European embroidery. The electronic screens continuously showcased the "deep bond" between Ningbo and CEECs. In the retrospective clips, numerous masterpieces by CEE authors were inducted into Tianyi Pavilion, Asia's oldest surviving library.
"Culture is the most refined method I can imagine for demonstrating my genuine intentions. We actively engage in cultural diplomacy; however, we are not the diplomats who merely hide behind eloquent phrases, but rather ones who stand firmly with open dialogue". In 2018,VarujanVosganian, then-president of the Romanian Writers’ Association, expressed his admiration passionately at Tianyi Pavilion.
A deeper integration is taking root on campuses.
In May last year, at the intangible cultural heritage workshop of Zhejiang Fashion Institute of Technology, CEE journalists were captivated by Hongbang tailored suits, patchwork, blue-dyed fabric, gold and silver embroidery, and other traditional Chinese clothing techniques and heritage crafts.
After experiencing the intricate gold and silver embroidery craft, Slovenian journalist Matthew expressed his excitement, saying:"This is an unparalleled form of Eastern art I have never encountered before! Every detail is truly breathtaking.These silk threads and gold and silver patterns seem almost alive. China’s (textile) craftsmanship is simply incredible!”
The stories of CEE are beginning to resonate with the poetic essence of the East. At the University of Szeged, one of Hungary’s top universities, Xu Fang, Party Secretary of NingboTech University, introduced a new materials cooperation project. Building upon the foundation of the China-Hungary Advanced Technology Joint Research Center, the initiative is driving broader technological synergy and industrial chain upgrades.
"Looking back from the 'official announcement' point, over the years, Ningbo has adhered to practical cooperation and mutual benefits, mobilizing the entire city to successfully host the China-CEEC Expo, contributing local efforts to the high-quality development of China-CEE cooperation. With breakthroughs in channels, technological symbiosis, cultural decoding, and institutional innovation... each 'mutual engagement' has accumulated into a unique cooperation model," said the head of the city's Commerce Bureau.
Just as Polish goat milk lotion being placed on the dressing tables of women in the Jiangnan region, and the fragrance of Serbia's Doncafe wafting through Ningbo's streets, this eastern port city demonstrates that the best cooperation is making distant lands feel like home for each other.
Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of Ningbo Daily. The Ningbo Daily version shall prevail.