"Ningbo has been committed to promoting cooperation with Central and Eastern European Countries under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative in recent years," said Li Guanding, vice mayor of Ningbo, on June 6 at a press conference for the upcoming China-CEEC Expo to be held in the city from June 8 to 12. 

Li pointed out that Ningbo initiated the CEEC Specialty Goods Fair in 2014, and has since then held the Ministerial Conference of China and CEEC on Promoting Trade and Economic Cooperation for three consecutive years, as well as the China-CEEC Investment and Trade Expo for four consecutive years. It also launched the construction of the China-CEEC Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Zone last June. 

"The fact that the China-CEEC Investment and Trade Expo was upgraded into a national-level one this year demonstrates the great care and expectation of the central government for Ningbo's development," said Li.

Li added that Ningbo will strive to become the first choice for the CEEC to export commodities to China, to conduct two-way investment cooperation with China, and to carry out cultural exchanges with China.