CRI听力:1st China-CEEC Investment and Trade Expo Opens in E China

Jams from Lithuania, Slovakia's chocolate pies, cookies from Poland and Bulgaria's rose wine, all of these are now within reach for citizens in Ningbo city .

Over 500 delegations from 16 central and eastern European countries have gathered in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang province to attend the 1st China-CEEC expo.

This year's theme is "Expanding opening-up and cooperation and jointly building the Silk Road".

Investment symposiums, trade exhibitions, conferences, forums, and cultural exchange activities are set to be held during the 5-day event.

Meanwhile, a long-term exhibition of special products has taken place to ensure cooperation between China and central-east European countries.

Xu Xiaofeng, deputy director of the European Affairs Department at the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, said the event will further promote the growth of bilateral investment and trade.

"I believe the platform will be instrumental to strengthening mutual understanding and exchanges Chinese and Central and Eastern European companies and it will stimulate economic and trade cooperation between China and Central and Eastern Europe in times to come."

Chinese state councilor Yang Jiechi said all parties should expand cooperation to build an integrated platform for economic and cultural communication between China and CEE countries.

"The event is an important part of the efforts to implement the Belgrade Guidelines for Cooperation between China and CEEC signed by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and CEEC leaders in Belgrade, Serbia last year. All parties should expand cooperation to make the expo an important economic and communication platform for bilateral companies."

Trade cooperation between China and CEE countries has seen a steady increase over past years. According to Chinese customs, the bilateral trade volume has reached 60.2 billion US dollars in 2014, 15.6 percent more than that in 2012.

For CRI, I'm Xie Cheng.