Czech beer, Slovenian honey, Hungarian down products... At the 4th China Central and Eastern European Countries Expo and International Consumer Goods Expo held in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, more than 8000 types of Central and Eastern European specialty products are showcased, and domestic and foreign exhibitors are in full swing for communication and exchange. This is a vivid footnote to the "two-way rush" of economic and trade cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries. Products from Central and Eastern Europe are heading east as they enter the venue of this year's expo. A Bulgarian company's booth is filled with fragrant flowers and crowded with people. Chinese consumers understand Bulgarian rose essential oil better than we imagined! "Liya Petkova, the sales manager of Bulgarian" Marilla Essential Oil "company, excitedly told reporters while trying out the product for consumers. This is our first time attending an exhibition in China, and we are fortunate that the expo has provided us with a platform for communication and cooperation. ”She said that by participating in the expo, there is an opportunity to promote products from her own country and establish business connections with enterprises from China. Xipincheng Trading Co., Ltd. is an enterprise that exports Greek alcoholic beverages to the Chinese market. The company's sales director, Pavlou Christos, has been living in China for three years, and the vast Chinese market and strong economic vitality have all made him yearn for it. He said that he had previously represented the company in large-scale Chinese exhibitions such as the China International Import Expo and the China International Consumer Goods Expo. China's huge consumer market means broad development prospects for enterprises in Central and Eastern European countries. For the first time, this expo has set up a "Digital Intelligence Central and Eastern Europe" exhibition area, gathering cutting-edge technological forces from around the world and attracting people to visit and experience. On May 22nd, customers learned about embodied intelligent robot systems in the "Smart Central and Eastern Europe" exhibition area. Photo by Huang Zongzhi, Xinhua News Agency. Zhu Xiaojing, the general manager of the China region of Pan Think Technology Co., Ltd. in Poland, brought a translation machine that can translate spoken language, images, and text in real time. She stated that the company established a branch in Shenzhen last year, and currently its products are sold at airports in 36 cities in China. China not only provides orders to Central and Eastern European enterprises, but also a ticket to enter the Chinese market. ”She said that the company regards the Chinese market as one of its future key business directions and will further improve its products to meet the needs of Chinese consumers. With the continuous development of economic and trade cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries, more and more "Made in China" companies are accelerating their expansion into Central and Eastern European countries. The first Chinese Dongfeng flagship store in Slovenia will open in October 2024. To meet the diverse needs of the local market, China Dongfeng Motor Industry Import and Export Co., Ltd. has launched various types of vehicles such as new energy, fuel, hybrid, etc., winning the favor of more and more Slovenian consumers with high-quality products and services. Cao Wandi, Regional Manager of Passenger Vehicle Overseas Marketing Department of China Dongfeng Motor Industry Import and Export Co., Ltd., said that the Slovenian new energy vehicle market has significant growth potential and is currently in the golden entry period of the "blue ocean market". The cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries conforms to the trend of globalization, and the basic foundation of cooperation between the two sides is stable and the prospects are promising. ”Vice Minister of Commerce Yan Dong stated that China has a complete industrial system and innovative technologies, and Central and Eastern European countries have obvious advantages in traditional industries. There is a strong demand for green and digital transformation, and the industries of both sides complement each other. The future space for economic and trade cooperation between the two sides is very broad. On May 22nd, Polish exhibitors showcased cheese at the Central and Eastern European exhibition hall. In March 2025, JD Logistics officially opened its third warehouse in Poland, covering an area of nearly 10000 square meters. This warehouse provides integrated supply chain solutions for cross-border e-commerce and local retailers, covering multiple categories such as consumer electronics and home goods. The inventory accuracy is as high as 99.5%, achieving the fastest 24-hour delivery. The head of JD Logistics' European business stated that the Polish overseas warehouse is an important pivot for JD Logistics to continue serving the European market. The company will help more Chinese brands efficiently reach the European market, while also tailoring "JD Logistics solutions" for more and more local European enterprises. According to incomplete statistics, China's investment in Central and Eastern European countries has exceeded 24 billion US dollars so far. Wang Jupeng, Secretary General of the Polish Chinese Chamber of Commerce, stated that in recent years, Poland has become one of the important investment destinations for China in Central and Eastern Europe. At present, hundreds of large Chinese enterprises are conducting business in Poland, and the total direct investment of Chinese enterprises in Poland has exceeded 4 billion US dollars. The accelerator for deepening cooperation, the China Central and Eastern European Countries Expo, has been successfully held in Ningbo for three sessions from 2019 to 2023. It has played an important role in enhancing the Chinese market's understanding of Central and Eastern European products, expanding their exports to China, and consolidating consensus on cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries. Vice Governor of Zhejiang Province, Lu Shan, said that this year's Expo has stronger Central and Eastern European characteristics, more refined activity arrangements, and higher international participation. The Central and Eastern European exhibition area of this expo covers an area of 20000 square meters and has invited over 400 exhibitors to participate. In addition, for the first time, this expo has set up a special section for charming Central and Eastern Europe, divided into five modules: "Book, Art, Painting, Printing, and Tourism", showcasing the cultural customs of various Central and Eastern European countries. The 4th China Central and Eastern European Countries Expo and International Consumer Goods Expo was filmed on May 22nd. According to data captured by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jianghan, since 2012, China's trade with Central and Eastern European countries has grown at an average annual rate of 8.8%, and China's imports from Central and Eastern European countries have grown at an average annual rate of 7.4%, both higher than China's foreign trade growth rate during the same period. The total bilateral trade value between China and Central and Eastern European countries in 2024 was 142.27 billion US dollars, an increase of 6.3% compared to the same period last year, which is 2.5 percentage points higher than the overall growth rate of China's imports and exports, demonstrating a strong development momentum. Economic and trade cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries is entering a "two-way fast lane". With the continuous optimization of the admission evaluation system and the significant improvement of customs clearance efficiency, more and more Middle Eastern, European and American flavors such as Polish amber beer, Latvian canned fish, and Serbian dried plums have entered the Chinese market in recent years, enriching consumers' choices. Zhao Zenglian, Deputy Director General of the General Administration of Customs, stated that China Central and Eastern European countries' cooperation is bringing more certainty to the current complex and ever-changing international situation with practical and effective resilience, injecting stability and positive energy into the world economy through coordinated development between China and the region. (New Society)