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China-CEEC Ministerial Meeting on Promoting Trade and Economic Cooperation Opens

On June 8, China-CEEC Ministerial Meeting on Promoting Trade and Economic Cooperation was held in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. Chinese Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng presided over the meeting, and economic and trade ministers or representatives from 16 CEE countries were present together with their delegations. China International Trade Representative and Vice Minister of Commerce delivered a speech on behalf of China. Focusing on the theme of deepening pragmatic cooperation and achieving common development, the participants exchanged views and reached extensive consensus on expanding trade scale and promoting balanced development of trade; increasing mutual investment and strengthening economic and trade cooperation and connection; broadening financing channels and bolstering infrastructure cooperation. The Joint Document of China-CEEC Ministerial Meeting on Promoting Trade and Economic Cooperation was approved.

Gao said that since the first China-CEEC Economic and Trade Forum held in Budapest in June 2011 and the first China-CEEC Leaders Meeting held in Warsaw in April 2012, two leaders meetings and three economic and trade forums have been successfully held. China-CEEC cooperative mechanism has been improving and boasts widespread influence and promising future. The 12 measures announced by China to promote friendly cooperation with CEE countries, as well as the Bucharest Guidelines for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries jointly approved by the leaders, are being implemented well and gaining favorable achievements. China-CEEC cooperation carries on longstanding traditional friendship, accords with current development needs of various parties, and shows off strong vitality.
Gao said that in a favorable and friendly atmosphere, the meeting reached consensus and made clear the cooperative direction, and achieved expected results. It is believed that the meeting will drive and deepen China-CEEC economic and trade cooperation.

Gao pointed out that economic and trade cooperation has always been an important content of China-CEEC cooperation. Over the past 65 years, bilateral economic and trade cooperation has grown out nothing and expanded from small to large, boosting all countries’ economic and social development. Especially over the past 10 years, economic and trade cooperation sped up, with the trade volume growing from US$8.7 billion in 2003 to US$55.1 billion in 2013. China’s investment in CEEC increased from less than US$100 million to about US$5 billion. CEEC investment in China grew from US$420 million to US$1.2 billion. Cooperation in infrastructure construction became new shining spots, such as Serbia Belgrade cross the Danube Bridge, thermal power station in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Miladinovci-Stip and Kicevo-Ohrid expressways in Macedonia. China is willing to make efforts with all countries to implement the consensus reached by their leaders and bolster the better and faster development of China-CEEC economic and trade cooperation.

Gao emphasized that although global economic recovery is accelerating, there are many uncertain and unstable factors, and new risks are accumulating. Strengthening cooperation is of great significance to the steady development of their economy. With similar development level, China and CEEC are at a critical stage of development. To display complementary advantages and deepen China-CEEC economic and trade cooperation accords with the features of development and demands for cooperation in these countries. We are confident in the prospect of China-CEEC economic and trade cooperation.

Before the meeting, the ministers or representatives from participating countries attended the opening ceremony of 2014 CEEC Products Fair and visited the venue.


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