At the 4th China-Central and Eastern European Countries Expo and International Consumer Goods Expo held in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, over 8,000 unique products from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) have gathered, with Chinese and foreign exhibitors actively engaging in matchmaking and negotiations. This fully demonstrates the vigorous momentum of "mutual engagement" in economic and trade cooperation between China and CEE countries.  

CEE Goods "Moving East": Unlocking New Opportunities in the Chinese Market  

Stepping into the expo venue, the scent of flowers from a Bulgarian enterprise's booth attracted numerous visitors. Riya Petkova, sales manager of Bulgaria's "Marila Essential Oils," was pleasantly surprised to find that Chinese consumers knew more about Bulgarian rose essential oil than expected. As first-time exhibitors at a Chinese expo, they cherished the exchange and cooperation platform provided, hoping to promote their country's products and establish business connections with Chinese enterprises.  

Hepincheng Trading Co., Ltd., which exports Greek wines to the Chinese market, has a Sales Director, Pavlos Christos, who has lived in China for three years. He deeply appreciates the vastness of the Chinese market and its economic vitality. Having represented the company at major Chinese exhibitions such as the China International Import Expo and China International Consumer Products Expo, he understands that China's huge consumer market offers broad development prospects for CEE enterprises.  

The expo's first-ever "Digital and Intelligent CEE" exhibition area gathered global cutting-edge technological forces. Zhu Xiaojing, General Manager of the Chinese division of Poland's Fanesco Technology Co., Ltd., showcased a translator that can real-time translate speech, images, and text. The company established a branch in Shenzhen last year, and its products are now sold at airports in 36 Chinese cities. Zhu noted that China not only brings orders to CEE enterprises but also provides a "ticket" to enter the Chinese market. The company has identified the Chinese market as a key future focus and will refine its products to meet local consumer needs.  

Chinese Enterprises "Moving West": Expanding New Frontiers in CEE Markets  

With the deepening of economic and trade cooperation between China and CEE countries, an increasing number of "Made in China" products are accelerating their entry into CEE markets. In October 2024, Slovenia's first Dongfeng Motors flagship store opened. China Dongfeng Automotive Industry Import & Export Co., Ltd. launched new energy, fuel, and hybrid vehicles to meet the diverse needs of the local market, winning favor from Slovenian consumers with high-quality products and services. Cao Wandi, Regional Manager of the Passenger Vehicle Overseas Marketing Department, pointed out that Slovenia's new energy vehicle market is in a golden "blue ocean" phase with significant growth potential.  

In March 2025, JD Logistics officially opened its third warehouse in Poland, spanning nearly 10,000 square meters. The warehouse provides integrated supply chain solutions for cross-border e-commerce and local retailers, covering categories such as consumer electronics and home goods, with an inventory accuracy rate of 99.5% and the fastest 24-hour delivery. JD Logistics' European business head stated that the Polish overseas warehouse serves as a key hub for servicing the European market, helping more Chinese brands reach European consumers efficiently while tailoring "JD Logistics solutions" for local European enterprises.  

According to incomplete statistics, China's investment in CEE countries has exceeded $24 billion to date. Poland, as one of China's key investment destinations in CEE, hosts hundreds of large Chinese enterprises, with direct investment totaling over $4 billion. Wang Jupeng, Secretary-General of the Poland-China Chamber of Commerce, has witnessed the robust development of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.  

The Expo: An "Accelerator" for Deepening Cooperation  

From 2019 to 2023, the China-CEE Expo has been successfully held three times in Ningbo, playing a crucial role in enhancing the Chinese market's understanding of CEE products, expanding CEE exports to China, and forging cooperation consensus. Lu Shan, Vice Governor of Zhejiang Province, introduced that this year's expo features a stronger CEE focus, more refined event arrangements, and higher international participation. The CEE exhibition area covers 20,000 square meters, with over 400 exhibitors invited. A new "Charming CEE" zone was established, showcasing the cultural customs of CEE countries through five modules: "Books, Art, Paintings, Prints, and Tourism."  

Data shows that since 2012, trade between China and CEE countries has grown at an average annual rate of 8.8%, with China's imports from CEE countries increasing by 7.4% annually—both higher than China's overall foreign trade growth during the same period. In 2024, bilateral trade reached $142.27 billion, a 6.3% year-on-year increase, 2.5 percentage points higher than China's overall import-export growth, demonstrating strong momentum. With the optimization of market access evaluation systems and improved customs clearance efficiency, more CEE delicacies such as Polish amber beer, Latvian fish cans, and Serbian dried plums have entered the Chinese market.  

Zhao Zenglian, Deputy Administrator of the General Administration of Customs of China, stated that China-CEE cooperation has brought more certainty to the complex and changing international landscape through practical results, injecting stability and positive energy into the global economy through synergistic development between China and the region. In this era of abundant opportunities, China and CEE countries will continue to join hands, accelerating on the "two-way fast track" of economic and trade cooperation to create a brighter future together.(This article is from the official website of Seetao.com, www.seetao.com. No reprinting is allowed without permission. Otherwise, legal liability will be pursued. If reprinting, please indicate Seetao.com + the original text link.) Editor of the Strategic Column of Seetao.com / Yin Shiqian