NINGBO, China, May 20, 2025 – The fourth China-Central and Eastern European Countries Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair (China-CEEC Expo) will take place in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, from May 22-25, according to expo organizers.

The event will showcase products, facilitate business deals, and highlight Ningbo as an example of China’s economic strength and commitment to openness.

The Ningbo International Conference Center is buzzing with activity as workers set up booths. Soon, over 400 exhibitors will display more than 8,000 products from CEEC countries, including Czech beer, Slovenian honey, and Hungarian down products, across a 20,000-square-meter area. The expo anticipates attracting 15,000 professionals, with over 3,000 international buyers, setting new records for exhibition space, exhibitor count, and product diversity.

Since its debut in 2019, the China-CEEC Expo in Ningbo has become a key platform for boosting economic and trade ties between China and CEEC countries, demonstrating Ningbo’s adaptability and innovative spirit.

Ningbo, strategically located with abundant port resources, has long been a vital trade center. In 2024, the city’s total import and export value reached 1.42 trillion yuan, up 11.1% year-on-year. Its foreign trade volume ranked among the top five nationally for the first time this century. The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has been the world’s busiest for 16 years, thanks to its deep-water capabilities.

Despite a volatile global trade landscape, Ningbo has proven to be a resilient trade hub. According to Ningbo customs data, the city’s total import and export value from January to April 2025 reached 472.45 billion yuan, an 8.2% year-on-year increase and a record for this period. High-tech product imports rose by 18.1%, while electronic product imports jumped by 38.4%.

These foreign trade figures highlight Ningbo’s strong economic resilience.

A vibrant and innovative private sector underpins its trade-oriented economy. Ningbo is the third city in China, after Shenzhen and Shanghai, where private enterprise foreign trade exceeds one trillion yuan. It also leads the nation in the number of specialized and sophisticated enterprises that produce novel and unique products.

“The private economy’s flexibility and innovation give Ningbo a competitive edge in navigating tariff challenges,” said Zhang Mengting, a researcher at Ningbo University’s institute on CEEC economic and trade cooperation.

To counter external pressures, Ningbo’s private foreign trade companies have boosted their market competitiveness through technological advancements, expanded from limited markets to a global reach, and shifted from mere product exports to overseas production. The city’s foreign trade has also evolved from primarily exports to a dual circulation model incorporating both domestic and international markets.

From January to April, Ningbo’s private enterprises reported import and export value of 365.44 billion yuan, a 12.3% increase contributing 9.1 percentage points to the city’s overall growth. This accounted for 77.4% of Ningbo’s foreign trade, up 2.8 percentage points from the same period last year. During these months, trade growth with Africa and ASEAN reached 28.1% and 20.7%, respectively.

Among Ningbo’s trade participants, Xinhai Technology Group has invested over 60 million yuan in R&D, utilizing EU certification to access a global market of 2 million lighters per day. Corelead Group has established a factory in Serbia to quickly fulfill urgent orders from European clients.

Ningbo is also leveraging its position as a pilot area within the China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone, expanding its foreign economic and trade cooperation through institutional innovation.

As China’s first China-CEEC economic and trade cooperation demonstration zone, Ningbo has introduced a pilot green channel for CEEC imports, facilitating mutual recognition of customs inspection standards and 16 other institutional innovations.

The expo’s theme of innovation, practical outcomes, and future-oriented cooperation embodies Ningbo’s development. Recognized as a high-energy open stronghold, the city showcases resilience against external risks through its dynamic private economy, technological innovation, and diverse markets, offering Chinese solutions for global trade governance.

Source: The Executive Committee of China-CEEC Expo

CONTACT: Contact person: Ms. Wang, Tel: 86-10-63074558

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