After several years of 'honeymoon' cooperation, the 16+1 Cooperation between China and sixteen countries in Central and Eastern Europe is becoming a cooperation highland for the Belt and Road Initiative.

The data shows that in 2017, the import and export volume between China and CEEC countries exceeded 68 billion U.S. dollars, increasing by more than 15 percent year-on-year. The trade structure between the two sides has been continuously optimized and the trade area has continued to expand.

China has cooperated with these 16 countries in Central and Eastern Europe since 2012 when, after advocacy from the Chinese side, the 16+1 Cooperation project began in Warsaw, Poland. Over the past six years, cooperation has expanded from small to large and from shallow to deep, involving areas such as economics, trade, investment, and finance.

"In 2017, the average value of the 16+1 import and export trade index rose by 16.12 percent year-on-year. From 2014 to 2017, the proportion of import and export trade between China and the CEEC countries in Sino-European trade rose from 7.55 percent to 8.73 percent," said Feng Yangwen, deputy general manager of Ningbo Shipping Exchange.

Agnese Stūrmane, representative of the Investment and Development Agency of Laivia, guest of honor of the China-CEEC Investment and Trade Expo, said that for CEEC countries, China represents a vast market. Additionally, good foundations for cross-border e-commerce have already been laid, and Central and Eastern European countries hold high expectations for trade and investment dealings with China.

Source: Xinhua Silk Road Information Service