China's Zhejiang strives to boost trade ties with central, eastern European countries

Visitors taste Hungarian wine at the second China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

HANGZHOU, May 11 (Xinhua) -- A permanent pavilion in the Ningbo International Conference & Exhibition Center is drawing a steady stream of visitors, showcasing specialty products such as roses, crystals, and wines from Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs).

According to Chen Yi, general manager of Ningbo Dijia VIDA Trading Co., Ltd., her booths distinguish themselves with an extensive selection of products from Poland. It is the first trading company to set up booths in the pavilion, located in the city of Ningbo in Zhejiang Province, an economic powerhouse in east China.

"In the past, the company was mainly engaged in the import business of Spanish products. But we found the quality and the price of products from CEECs, especially agricultural and dairy products, are also very competitive," Chen said.

Over the past eight years, the company has introduced nearly 100 different kinds of Polish goods into the Chinese market, providing a variety of choices for Chinese customers.

As of 2022, over 50 firms engaged in trade with CEECs have joined the pavilion, showcasing over 5,000 varieties of specialty products, much like Chen's company.

In addition to establishing the permanent pavilion, Zhejiang is gearing up to host the third China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair in Ningbo starting May 16. This event is poised to serve as a major trade catalyst between China and CEECs, offering promising business prospects for exhibitors and buyers from both home and abroad.

According to the Zhejiang provincial department of commerce, about 3,000 exhibitors will participate in the five-day event this year, an increase of 30 percent over the previous one, and 2,030 buyers have registered. The event is expected to attract about 100,000 visitors this year.

The commerce department added that 14 products with European Union geographical indications will make their debut, including Poland's Van Pur beer and Serbia's Dr Milk cream cheese, at the exhibition.

In the future, Zhejiang plans to introduce these commodities into supermarkets, e-commerce platforms, and other sales channels across the country.

As a platform for exhibiting the fruitful economic and trade cooperation between China and CEECs, this national-level exhibition serves as a stage for both sides to further explore comprehensive business opportunities, said Han Jie, director of the Zhejiang provincial department of commerce.

Zhejiang will continue to work with CEECs to deepen trade cooperation in a wider range of fields and seek a high-quality development path in the coming years, Han added.

According to the provincial commerce department, the total import and export volume between Zhejiang and CEECs has tripled in the past decade from around 7.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2013 to over 21.63 billion U.S. dollars in 2022.