On May 24, 2024, Vice Foreign Minister and Secretary General of the Secretariat for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Deng Li chaired the 18th Meeting of National Coordinators for China-CEEC Cooperation in Ningbo. Coordinators or representatives from Central and Eastern European countries attended the meeting.

Deng Li said, in the face of complex and ever-changing international and regional situations, all parties have focused on implementing the outcomes of the China-CEEC Summit, and promoted practical cooperation in various fields to achieve fruitful results, which demonstrates the resilience and internal dynamics of China-CEEC cooperation, and further consolidates the all-round, multi-level, and wide-ranging cooperation pattern. The successful visit of President Xi Jinping to Europe recently shows the great importance China attaches to the development of its relations with Central and Eastern European countries. China is ready to work with Central and Eastern European countries to strengthen confidence in cooperation, grasp the general direction of cooperation, uphold the spirit of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and build China-CEEC cooperation into a cooperation platform of mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual benefit, so as to contribute to the development of bilateral relations and China-Europe relations.

The representatives from various countries spoke positively of the active role played by China-CEEC cooperation in advancing bilateral relations and China-Europe cooperation. They expressed their willingness to seize opportunities, overcome challenges, strengthen communication, ensure the success of institutional activities, improve institution building, and focus on promoting exchanges and cooperation in such fields as economy, trade, investment, connectivity, inspection and quarantine, green industry, energy and people-to-people exchanges.

During the same period of the meeting, the China (Ningbo)-CEEC Exchange Week was held, which included the meeting of the China-CEEC Joint Chamber of Commerce, the CEEC premium products promotion month, the meeting of the University Association, the publishing cooperation achievements exhibition, press roundtable, and concerts.