People's Daily Online, Ningbo, May 23 (Reporter: Li Qiaochu) – At the 7th China–CEEC Dialogue on Customs, Inspection and Quarantine Cooperation (hereinafter referred to as the "Cooperation Dialogue") held on May 22, it was revealed that trade between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) in the first four months of this year reached a total value of 329.68 billion yuan, marking a year-on-year growth of 5.6%. This figure represents a historical record for trade volume with CEEC during the same period.
Zhao Zenglian, Deputy Director of GACC, stated in his keynote speech at the Cooperation Dialogue that, in recent years, China Customs has actively expedited the process for quarantine approval of agricultural and food products from CEECs. To date, 126 types of agricultural and food products from 14 CEECs have gained market access, and 3430 overseas agribusinesses are registered. Increasing numbers of CEEC agricultural and food products are entering the Chinese market, generating more opportunities for businesses in the region while offering Chinese consumers a broader range of choices.
For CEEC, China boasts a robust economy, strong domestic demand, and an open market. Engaging in economic and trade cooperation with China can present significant development opportunities for these countries.
At the Cooperation Dialogue, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tugomir Majdak emphasized, "We strongly encourage our producers and businesses to establish comprehensive ties with their Chinese counterparts, particularly in the food and agricultural sectors. We aspire for the cooperation between our two nations to grow even stronger. "
Gao Zhihao, Vice Chairman of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, shared a similar sentiment at the Cooperation Dialogue. In his remarks, he noted that the economies of China and Europe are profoundly intertwined and mutually dependent. Collaboration with China not only offers Europe substantial market opportunities but also fosters tangible mutual benefits and win-win outcomes.
"A considerable number of European companies remain confident in the long-term prospects of the Chinese model. This confidence reinforces our belief that deepening EU-China engagement is more crucial now than ever before. Finding solutions to overcome obstacles in the relationship, building consensus on the future path of cooperation, and continuously creating mutual value is imperative," Gao stated.
At present, the world is experiencing rapidly evolving changes unseen in a century. The global political and economic landscape is undergoing profound adjustments, and international economic and trade rules are being reshaped through a new round of developments. However, economic globalization remains an unstoppable historical trend, and win-win cooperation is the shared aspiration of people everywhere.
According to Zhao Zenglian, the multilateral trading system stands as the cornerstone of international trade and plays a vital role in steering global economic governance. As pivotal hubs in international trade, customs and inspection authorities worldwide must unite to champion free and inclusive trade principles. They must also resist the politicization and over-securitization of trade tools and work to uphold a multilateral trading system anchored by the WTO and governed by rules. Over the course of long-term development, China-EU economic and trade cooperation has established a profound framework of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. Efforts should be made to actively establish and streamline communication channels, promote information sharing, explore new avenues of cooperation, enhance policy dialogue and coordination, expand reciprocal openness, advance free and open trade and investment, deepen the alignment of customs inspection and quarantine regulations along with mutual recognition of standards, and jointly oppose discriminatory technical barriers. These measures aim to establish a non-discriminatory and predictable institutional environment for fostering international economic and trade exchanges, ensuring the stability and smooth operation of the global industrial and supply chains, and contributing greater stability and predictability to both parties and the global economy.
The Special Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for China-CEEC Cooperation Affairs Ambassador, Jiang Yu, also attended the opening ceremony. In her remarks, she highlighted that the international landscape is undergoing profound changes and the global economy is facing significant challenges. She underscored China's role as a responsible major power, emphasizing its unwavering commitment to fostering world peace, driving global development, and safeguarding the international order. China remains committed to advancing high-quality development, deepening high-standard opening up, and fostering cooperation to achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes with all countries, including those in Central and Eastern Europe. By sharing development opportunities, China aims to bring greater stability and predictability to the global economy.
Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of People's Daily Online. The People's Daily Online version shall prevail.
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