Trade between Ningbo, CEEC on the rise

Imports from Central and Eastern European Countries to Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province soared during the first half of 2023.

Data from Ningbo Customs indicated that in the first six months of 2023, the city's imports from CEEC amounted to 6.7 billion yuan ($938 million), up 37.6 percent year-on-year. Mechanical and electrical products, metal ore, and steel saw a staggering increase of 57.7 percent, 560 percent, and 100 percent, respectively.

The 3rd China-CEEC Expo, which was held in Ningbo in May, offered a great opportunity for products from CEEC to enter the Chinese market. Over the past two months, Ningbo's imports of CEEC commodities through cross-border e-commerce reached 41.95 million yuan, a month-on-month increase of more than 50 percent.

Ningbo Customs has also launched several measures to improve the customs clearance efficiency of CEEC commodities.

In addition, a service window has opened to deal with CEEC business and eligible agricultural products imported from the countries are now allowed to leave the port areas directly after sampling.

Thanks to the expo and measures by local authorities to promote cross-border trade, foreign trade companies in Ningbo are optimistic about their CEEC operations.

"Our products, including Polish milk, Romanian honey, and Bulgarian rose products, are all popular among customers. The green channel that Ningbo Customs launched for CEEC products helps us to ensure fast delivery of the products," said Chen Yi, a manager of a foreign trade company.

Ningbo Customs officers inspect CEEC products at a foreign trade company in Ningbo. [Photo by Jiang Shuwen for Ningbo Evening News]