The 4th China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo and International Consumer Goods Fair, currently underway in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, is being hailed by media professionals as a valuable platform for small and medium-sized countries to deepen their access to the Chinese market.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Pavleta Davidova, a reporter for the Bulgarian outlet 24 Chasa, who previously covered the expo on the ground, said the event provides an opportunity to showcase Bulgarian culture and products in China, paving the way for deeper cooperation across multiple fields.
"Last year I spent four months in China, and one of the places I visited was Ningbo expo center. And I was impressed how big it is, how the Bulgarian products are represented, also our neighboring products. And it was very interesting to see a piece of Bulgaria in China. As far as I know, more than 100 Bulgarian companies overall have already come to Ningbo to participate in different China-CEEC expos, or participate online, or on the commodity cloud exhibition, and other economic and trade promotion activities. And if both countries work together for promotion of academic and research cooperation, with the help of different new practices and innovations, we could interfere very well and improve the collaboration between the two countries in different fields," she said.
Mariann Ory, deputy editor-in-chief of Eurasia Hungary, highlighted Hungary’s strong and consistent participation in major expos in China, emphasizing the importance of these events in fostering economic cooperation and showcasing national products.
"Hungary has been having a high-level presence at the major expos in China, also in Ningbo. And for example, last year Hungary was the guest of honor at the expo. And the Hungarian companies regards these formats as a great opportunity to showcase high quality Hungarian products and companies which would, I think, have a huge perspective in cooperating with the Chinese partners. And Hungarian businesses also gain very good experiences at these events. And we also have a whole infrastructure for that, government agencies such as the Hungarian export agency. And they are significantly contributing to the competitiveness and the success of these companies," she said.
Zoran Slepcevic, a broadcast journalist with Serbia’s national broadcaster Radio Television of Serbia, emphasized the broader significance of the expo for Serbian businesses, highlighting both trade and innovation opportunities in the Chinese market.
"This expo, for Serbian business, I can say, serves as more than just a gateway to the Chinese market. It represents a multi-phased opportunity for market expansion for Serbian companies, particularly in sectors like food and beverages, as my colleague said. And we can see Serbian coffee, wines, honey, different products in China. Beyond trade, Serbian companies are exploring joint ventures and collaborations in areas such as clean energy, smart agriculture, and information technology," said Slepcevic.
Journalists hail China-CEEC Expo as key to market expansion for smaller countries
