Ningbo to build China's 1st China-CEEC trade cooperation zone

On June 7, ministerial representatives from China and the 16 Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) unveiled the nameplate of China's first demonstration zone for China-CEEC trade cooperation in Ningbo, eastern China's Zhejiang province.

At the press conference for the Third Ministerial Conference of China-CEEC on Promoting Trade and Economic Cooperation, China's vice minister of commerce Fu Ziying said that the demonstration zone now officially under construction will enrich cooperative achievements and set up a model for other cities to cooperate with the CEE countries in commerce and trade.

According to the construction plan, Ningbo aims to establish the zone as the first choice for CEEC products entering China, the first choice for bidirectional investment between China and the CEE countries, and the first choice for cultural exchange between the two sides.

According to Fu, the ministerial representatives in attendance shared insights and reached extensive consensus on pragmatic cooperation in areas from trade, investment and infrastructure connectivity to production capacity, finance and e-commerce.

China also launched initiatives on e-commerce and service trade cooperation, as well as a new communication mechanism for China-CEEC economic and trade officials, so as to strengthen coordination, Fu said, adding that the CEE countries are fully supportive of the initiatives.

China and the CEE countries discussed establishing dedicated platforms for the cooperation of small- and medium-sized companies and for the e-commerce, digital economy and intelligent industries, as well as a customs coordination center. Fu announced plans for the regular release of a "16+1 economics and trade" white paper as well.