On March 17, it was reported by the Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Commerce that the 4th China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair (hereinafter referred to as the "China-CEEC Expo") is scheduled to take place in Ningbo from May 22 to 25, 2025. With a theme of "Embracing Innovation, Advancing Practical Cooperation, and Shaping the Future," the expo will feature a series of events including an opening ceremony, exhibitions, economic and trade negotiations, investment promotion activities, and cultural exchanges.
The China-CEEC Expo is organized by the People's Government of Zhejiang Province and the Ministry of Commerce, with support from the Ningbo Municipal People's Government, the Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province, and the Trade Development Council of the Ministry of Commerce. It stands as the sole national-level institutional exhibition in China tailored towards CEE.
The announcement has been met with enthusiasm from Ningbo-based enterprises engaged in trade with CEE. Businesses are eagerly looking forward to welcoming guests from around the world to this grand event of openness and cooperation.
"The Most Anticipated Event of the Year"
"The China-CEEC Expo, Ningbo's grand event! We welcome friends from all over the world to Ningbo. CEE offers great products, and Ningbo has its delicious seafood..." Upon hearing the official announcement of the 4th China-CEEC Expo, Chen Yi, General Manager of Ningbo DigaWeida Trading Co., Ltd., immediately shared the news on her social media, calling it "the most anticipated event of the year."
Chen Yi has been engaged in importing CEE goods in Ningbo for 10 years and is a "full-time attendee" of the China-CEEC Expo. Over the years, her "shopping cart" has included products such as Polish milk, Bulgarian rose series cosmetics, and Romanian lollipops, bringing quality goods from CEE to the Chinese market. On March 17, she was placing orders for two containers and plans to sign a new product procurement contract next month.
"We aim to launch new products at the China-CEEC Expo to expand the fanbase for our Bulgarian rose cosmetics," she said. "Additionally, we intend to introduce Bulgaria's 'signature offerings' in the food and health product sectors to satisfy the growing demand for healthy living among Chinese consumers," Chen Yi shared enthusiastically with reporters.
The Exhibition Area Spans Approximately 80,000 Square Meters
According to reports, this year's China-CEEC Expo will have an exhibition space of roughly 80,000 square meters. It will be divided into the CEE Exhibition and the Export Consumer Goods Exhibition. This event serves as a multidimensional platform for cooperation and exchange among representatives from China and CEECs who are engaged in sectors such as commerce, trade, science and technology, education, and cultural tourism.
The CEE Exhibition Area, located at the Ningbo International Conference Center, covers about 20,000 square meters. It features high-quality specialty products, investment environments, and projects from CEE, focusing on key cooperation areas such as science, education, culture and tourism, and digital intelligence. The Export Consumer Goods Exhibition Area is situated in Halls 1-8 of the Ningbo International Conference & Exhibition Center, boasting an exhibition space of roughly 60,000 square meters. It showcases domestic consumer goods, home furnishings, smart products, and eco-friendly offerings in a professional exhibition format.
"During this year's China-CEEC Expo, we plan to transition the outstanding products from the Czech, Polish, Slovakian, Hungarian, and other national pavilions currently available online on JD.com to an offline presence. This will allow more citizens to discover and appreciate consumer goods such as crystal, beer, and cakes from CEE." Zhang Peng, CEO of Yashengxiang International Trading Co., Ltd. in Ningbo Free Trade Zone, shared his exhibition plans.
Striving to Achieve Tangible and Practical Outcomes
What excites Zhang Peng even more is that since 2023, China has implemented a trial visa waiver program for ordinary passport holders from 38 countries, including Poland, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and other CEECs. "This means business representatives from these nations can embark on their 'China journey' without delay. We also hope they seize the opportunity presented by the expo to explore cutting-edge technologies in China, such as intelligent manufacturing, and foster industrial exchange and collaboration," Zhang Peng remarked.
This year's China-CEEC Expo will concurrently host several institutional activities, including the China-CEEC Customs Inspection and Quarantine Cooperation Dialogue. It will concentrate on import procurement, investment promotion, cultural exchanges, and future industries, engaging in a series of "small but substantial,""small but sophisticated," and "small but attractive" activities aimed at achieving significant practical outcomes and injecting fresh impetus into the cooperation between China and CEECs.
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Accelerating Customs Clearance
As China's first China-CEEC economic and trade cooperation demonstration zone, Ningbo is developing "three prime destinations": for CEEC commodities' entry into the Chinese market, for two-way investment and cooperation between China and CEECs, and for cultural exchanges between China and CEECs. In the first two months of this year, the total import and export volume between Ningbo and Central and CEECs reached RMB 10.2 billion, marking a 15.3% year-on-year increase.
Additionally, numerous enterprises in Ningbo consider CEECs as the "strategic gateway" for entering the European market. Among the leading "alliances" in Ningbo's automotive and parts sector are top-tier companies such as Joyson Electronics,Minth Group,Tuopu Group, Ningbo Huaxiang, Ningbo Zhenyu Technology, and Jifeng Co., Ltd., all of which have established manufacturing facilities in Central and Eastern Europe. This move integrates Ningbo's new quality productive forces into the automotive industries of these regions.
To assist Ningbo enterprises in penetrating the CEE market, Ningbo Customs has continuously strengthened the construction of China-CEEC Customs Information Center. Thirteen new content sources have been added, and 164 pieces of information in English, including customs policies, facilitation measures, technical and trade standards, and clearance guides for China-CEECs, have been collected and published. Additionally, the green channel for importing goods from these regions has been optimized, accelerating customs clearance processes significantly.
Reporters: Yan Jin; Correspondents: Yao Jue, Li Sibing, and Ding Xiaojin
Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of Ningbo Evening News. The Ningbo Evening News version shall prevail.