Deepen Trade Cooperation, Achieve Mutual Benefits

 

 

From May 22 to 25, the 4th China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair, themed "New Visions for the future", took place in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. The trade exhibition area at this Expo covered 80,000 square meters, with record-high figures for exhibition space, exhibitor numbers, and exhibited goods.

This Expo features Slovenia and Slovakia as the guest countries. Slovenia has brought together 17 companies from sectors such as light aircraft manufacturing and cosmetics to participate in the exhibition; Slovakia's National Pavilion highlighted three main themes:"Smart Mobility, Fine Wines & Cuisine, and Crystal Art", with dedicated sections showcasing cultural artifacts, food and beverages, and advanced transport solutions.

Longquan's celadon, adorned with patterns depicting the scenic landscapes of Slovenia and Slovakia, masterfully integrates Eastern and Western art. Innova Technology Co., Ltd. from Jinhua showcased lightweight electric wheelchairs, catching the attention of CEE visitors, while Hangzhou's Cereblink Technology Co., Ltd. displayed wearable brain-computer interface devices, earning widespread acclaim... The Zhejiang Pavilion, themed "Surging Zhejiang", featured 24 leading enterprises, showcasing advancements in cultivating innovative productive capacities in a comprehensive manner.

In the export consumer goods section, a high-quality foreign trade product exchange and docking event drew participation from over 1,000 domestic exhibitors and buyers from 120 nations and regions.

In 2024, Zhejiang's total trade volume with CEEC reached RMB 182.7 billion, including RMB 19.75 billion in imports from CEEC—marking a 64% increase compared to 2021. In the first quarter of this year, Zhejiang achieved a total import-export volume of RMB 46.84 billion with CEEC, a year-on-year increase of 15.7%. Imports alone accounted for RMB 5.06 billion, marking a 13.5% rise compared to the same period last year.

On one side, specialties like Hangzhou's Steamed Lotus Root Stuffed with Glutinous Rice, Ningbo's cooked drunken crab, and Wenzhou's swallow-type beef dumplings were highlighted, while on the other, Serbian traditional hamburgers, Hungarian beef soup, and Balkan sausages were presented. During the Expo, the "Sweet Date on the Bite— A Taste of Zhejiang and CEEC · Culinary Cultural Exchange" was conducted at the historical Old Bund in Jiangbei, Ningbo, attracting over 250,000 domestic and international visitors to participate and experience.

On May 22, a flagship cultural exchange event of this Expo—the “Seal Engraving and Printing: East meets West in Art" Art Exhibition and Opening Ceremony of the Ningbo-CEEC International Cultural and Art Exchange Center—was successfully held. "I never imagined my works would be exhibited alongside Chinese seal engraving art," stated European artist Zoltan, who presented nearly sixty of his most iconic creations during his artistic career.

People-to-people exchanges celebrate diverse beauty, foster shared appreciation, and create heartfelt connections.

Coinciding with the Expo, the 2025 China-CEEC Youth Science & Technology Talent Exchange, themed "Innovative Younth Share the Future", was successfully organized. "Through the collaborative innovation network, we anticipate scientific institutions on both sides to identify optimal partnership opportunities," remarked Wang Bo, Executive Director of the China-CEEC Innovation Cooperation Research Center.

China is fostering new developmental advantages through profound collaboration with CEEC. Hungary has successfully attracted CATL to allocate EUR 7.3 billion for establishing a battery factory, enabling the development of a comprehensive industrial chain encompassing lithium mining and battery recycling. Meanwhile, Sanhua Group has invested in automotive and household appliance component enterprises in Poland, projecting sales revenues of EUR 150 million by 2024 and creating over 700 local job opportunities.

With reciprocal integration and shared efforts, both parties achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes in industrial cooperation. By end-2024, EU enterprises had invested over USD 150 billion cumulatively in China, while China's direct investments in Europe approached USD 110 billion.

On May 22, during The Seventh China–CEEC Dialogue on Customs, Inspection and Quarantine Cooperation in Ningbo, the access protocols for Bulgarian saffron and Croatian tuna were formally ratified.

Through the ongoing optimization of the market access assessment system and the substantial enhancement of customs clearance efficiency, an increasing variety of CEE products, including Polish amber beer and Serbian dried plums, are entering the Chinese market.

During this Expo, over 80 unique events took place, such as the signing ceremonies for the procurement of CEE goods and the trade promotion initiative titled "Empowering Exports and Connecting the World". These activities resulted in import purchase orders amounting to RMB 10.98 billion during the exhibition period.

 

 

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          Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of People's Daily. The People's Daily version shall prevail.