PR100590

SHIJIAZHUANG, China, Dec. 22, 2023 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

Recently, the 5th China-Central and Eastern European Countries (Cangzhou) Small

and Medium Enterprises (SME) Cooperation Forum kicked off in Cangzhou, Hebei.

Nearly 400 participants gathered, including envoys to China and government

representatives from Central and Eastern European countries, sister city

delegates, representatives from China's embassies in Central and Eastern

European countries, as well as representatives from domestic and foreign

business associations, universities, research institutes, and enterprises. They

came together to strengthen friendships, and seek cooperation and development.

In the event, Georgia participated as an observer and was warmly welcomed by

China and Central and Eastern European countries.

The theme of this forum is "Expanding Openness and Cooperation for Mutual

Development." During the event, guests and expert representatives from home and

abroad gave keynote speeches on topics such as international cooperation

between and future prospects of the SMEs of China and those of Central and

Eastern European countries, creating a bright future for cooperation between

SMEs in China and Central and Eastern Europe, the potential of cooperation

between and the development directions of China and Central and Eastern

European countries, advanced technology and industrial cooperation between

China and Europe, and financial empowerment for the development of SMEs. They

also engaged in roundtable discussions on deepening cooperation between China

and Central and Eastern European countries.

The China-CEEC (Cangzhou) SME Cooperation Forum has been successfully held four

times before, according to Hebei Provincial Industry and Information Technology

Department, attracting approximately 3,000 attendees including state leaders,

envoys to China from over 20 countries and regions such as Slovakia, Serbia,

Germany, and Finland, as well as representatives from well-known domestic and

international industry associations and enterprises. A total of 217

international cooperation projects were signed with a total investment of

1684.58 billion yuan (235.94 billion US dollars); sister city relationships

were established with 12 cities in 7 Central and Eastern European countries

including Croatia, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia; 48 cooperation memorandums

were signed, and 53 cooperation relationships were established, covering

various fields such as general aviation, medical devices, and high-end

manufacturing. Additionally, a series of cooperation agreements in cultural

exchanges, cooperative education, and technology transfer were signed. These

achievements have provided important pathways for strengthening cross-border

cooperation among SMEs in various countries and have served as an effective

platform for Cangzhou city and even Hebei Province to enhance their level of

openness to the outside world and to connect closely with high-quality

industries in Central and Eastern Europe. Today, the China-CEEC (Cangzhou) SME

Cooperation Forum has become a flagship foreign affairs event in Hebei Province.

Source: Hebei Provincial Industry and Information Technology Department