China, CEECs sign Memorandum of Understanding

BELGRADE - The Memorandum of Understanding on the joint promotion of the newly-established Business Council of China and countries of the Central and Eastern Europe was signed on Tuesday at the Economic Forum in Belgrade.

The MoU was signed at Belgrade's Sava Center by Vice Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Jiang Zengwei and President of Polish Agency for Enterprise Development Bozena Lublinska-Kasprzak.

The host of the event, Serbian Economy Minister Zeljko Sertic, described the cooperation between China and CEECs as successful, noting that examples of good practice are evident in all countries.

Director of the Trade Development Bureau of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) Sun Chenghai said that the exports of goods from countries of the Central and Eastern Europe to China have increased, adding that numerous activities were undertaken with an aim to improve cooperation.

Trade fairs were organized to showcase the products offered by these countries, he specified.

Gong Yong, official of the city of Ningbo, which hosts a fair of products made in Central and Eastern Europe, said that the event brought together 182 companies and 3,500 buyers, including some of the most significant Chinese companies.

Ningbo is the second-largest port in China with the fifth-largest container turnover in the world, also known for the production of home appliances and textiles.

The volume of trade between Ningbo and CEECs totaled USD 2.3 billion last year, said Gong, and invited companies from Central and Eastern Europe to present their products to Chinese buyers at the next fair.

Photo Tanjug, D. Stankovic