China's trade with Central, Eastern Europe hits new high in 2024

Bilateral trade between China and Central and Eastern European countries reached a record high in 2024, with the 4th China-Central and Eastern European Countries Expo next month set to highlight this growth, a commerce official said on Friday.

At a press briefing in Beijing, China's Vice Minister of Commerce Yan Dong noted that trade between China and Central and Eastern European nations has consistently grown since 2012, with the bilateral trade volume reaching a new historical record in 2024.

"Since 2012, China's trade with Central and Eastern European countries has gone up at an average annual rate of 8.8 percent, while imports from these countries have increased by an average of 7.4 percent annually. Both figures exceed China's overall foreign trade growth rate during the same period. In 2024, bilateral trade volume reached a record high of 142.3 billion U.S. dollars, up 6.3 percent year on year," Yan introduced at a press conference in Beijing.

He also reported the investment cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries has been growing increasingly robust and extensive.

"According to incomplete statistics, China's investment in Central and Eastern European countries has exceeded 24 billion U.S. dollars to date. In recent years, Chinese electric vehicle makers and enterprises in the upstream and downstream of power batteries have intensified their exploration and investment in the Central and Eastern European region. This has emerged as a new highlight of bilateral investment cooperation," he said.

In addition, the development of interconnectivity has been progressing rapidly. The Southern Corridor of the China-Europe Railway Express has witnessed accelerated growth, with Central and Eastern European countries emerging as key transit points and destinations for the service. Furthermore, the total number of direct air routes connecting China and Central and Eastern European countries has surpassed 30.

The 4th China-Central and Eastern European Countries Expo, set to take place in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang province, from May 22 to 25, will feature a record number of exhibitors. In addition to participants from 14 Central and Eastern European countries, exhibitors from nine other nations, including the UK, France, and Germany, will also participate in the event.

China's trade with Central, Eastern Europe hits new high in 2024

Iran said on Wednesday that 54 seafarers had been killed, 66 injured and seven remained missing in maritime incidents linked to the conflict in the Middle East and related maritime restrictions, according to figures presented at a meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Addressing the 76th session of the IMO Technical Cooperation Committee, an Iranian representative said the incidents had affected a total of 360 vessels, including 253 that were sunk or otherwise totally destroyed.

The representative said the conflict and related maritime restrictions had severely affected ships, seafarers, port operations, search and rescue services, emergency response systems, vessel traffic services, communications facilities and maritime safety infrastructure.

According to the figures presented by Iran, 28 seafarers were taken hostage since the end of February, five of whom remain in captivity.

The representative also reported damage to four maritime operations buildings, four vessel traffic service control stations and eight communications relay units, describing them as critical facilities for safe navigation, emergency coordination and maritime traffic management.

In a document submitted to the committee on June 8, Iran said a U.S. measure entitled "U.S. to Blockade Ships Entering or Exiting Iranian Ports," together with related restrictions, had disrupted commercial shipping, port access, voyage planning, navigational safety and the movement of ships and seafarers.

According to a report from British maritime analytics firm Windward published on Wednesday, five Iran-trading liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers recently broke the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, with four delivering cargoes to India and one to Pakistan.

Since April 13, the U.S. has imposed a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz on all ships trying to enter or leave Iranian ports, aiming to exert pressure on the country.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on May 29 that the so-called U.S. naval blockade was unlawful from the start, and violated a ceasefire agreement and undermined the freedom of international navigation.

Iran reports 54 seafarer deaths, 253 vessels destroyed since conflict with US, Israel begins