Products on display in the digital and smart manufacturing zone at the fourth China-CEEC Expo in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. ZHANG WEI/CHINA DAILY

Global Times-The 4th China-Central and Eastern European Country (CEEC) Expo and International Consumer Goods Fair concluded on Sunday in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang Province. The event highlighted the strong and ongoing desire for cooperation and mutual benefits in trade between China and the CEECs, despite the current atmosphere of trade protectionism that poses serious threats to the global economy and supply chains.

The CEEC exhibition area showcased 435 companies from 14 CEECs, along with nine other countries, including the UK, France and Germany. Numerous products from the CEECs, including Czech beer and Slovenian ski equipment, among thousands of other items, garnered attention, according to the People's Daily. The event has generated import purchase orders worth 10.98 billion yuan ($1.53 billion), the Securities Times reported.

The global economy is at a crossroads, fraught with uncertainty, as trade tensions and policy unpredictability exert dual pressures. In this context, media reports indicate that the expo reached unprecedented levels in terms of exhibition space, the number of exhibitors and the volume of goods on display. The scale of this expo highlighted a mutual demand for cooperation and trade, revealing the intrinsic momentum behind cooperation between China and the CEECs.

In recent years, economic cooperation between China and the CEECs has experienced continuous progress, driven by several key factors. First, China's commitment to further deepening its high-level economic opening-up has injected new vitality into this partnership. Since 2012, China's imports from the CEECs have increased at an annual rate of 7.4 percent, according to Xinhua. 

Last year, bilateral trade reached a record of $142.3 billion, highlighting the continuous expansion and opening-up of China's market. Recently, an increasing number of products from the CEECs are entering the Chinese market, providing Chinese consumers with a rich selection of high-quality products and creating new development opportunities for enterprises in the CEECs.

Connectivity also plays an important role in enabling seamless cooperation and achieving symbiotic development. The connectivity between China and the CEECs has been consistently enhanced through significant infrastructure projects, as well as collaboration in the green and digital sectors. 

The CEECs have become important passages and destinations for the China-Europe Railway Express, offering convenient connections that facilitate cooperation between China and the CEECs.

In addition, investment collaboration has also grown significantly. According to some statistics, China's investment in the CEECs has surpassed $24 billion. Chinese enterprises are intensifying their partnerships with these countries in sectors focused on green innovation, including the manufacturing of electric vehicles and power batteries. China's advanced industrial system and cutting-edge technologies align well with the green and digital transformation goals of the CEECs, presenting substantial opportunities for mutual growth and cooperation.

It is evident that the essence of the economic cooperation between China and the CEECs is mutual benefits and win-win results. China's high-quality development and high-level opening-up have enabled deeper, mutually beneficial cooperation with economies around the world, including the CEECs. This is why, even as the international economy and trade situation faces headwinds, economic and trade cooperation between China and the CEECs continues to grow.

The cooperation between China and the CEECs is an important component of the broader China-Europe economic relationship. The CEECs serve as a crucial bridge between the vibrant economies of East Asia and the developed markets of Western Europe, playing multiple roles as a hub and a transit region. 

Today, the growing economic and trade cooperation between China and the CEECs not only showcases the fruitful outcomes of their bilateral engagements but also consistently energizes the deepening of economic and trade ties between China and the continent Europe.

Mutual benefits underpin the China-Europe economic and trade relationship, driving market demand. This year, in addition to enterprises from the CEECs, the exhibition attracted exhibitors from nine other countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, with eight of these countries participating for the first time. This genuine market demand will surely inject new vitality into the development of China-Europe relations.