The third China–CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair is held in Ningbo, Zhejiang province on May 6, 2023. [Photo/IC]

In the first quarter of 2025, Zhejiang province's trade with Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) reached 46.84 billion yuan ($6.43 billion), up 15.7 percent year-on-year, according to customs statistics.

Exports totaled 41.77 billion yuan, a 16 percent increase, while imports rose 13.5 percent to 5.06 billion yuan.

Electromechanical products remain Zhejiang's top export to CEECs, with sales hitting 22.51 billion yuan in Q1 — a 16.5 percent rise from the same period last year.

The fourth China–CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair will be held in Ningbo from May 22 to 25.

This year marks the 13th anniversary of the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism. Over the past 13 years, trade between Zhejiang and CEECs has grown rapidly. Customs data show bilateral trade jumped from 40.31 billion yuan in 2012 to 182.69 billion yuan in 2024, an average annual growth rate of 11.6 percent.

During the upcoming expo, the China-CEEC Customs Inspection and Quarantine Cooperation Dialogue will also take place. Notably, in 2021, Ningbo Customs launched the China-CEEC Customs Information Center — the only one of its kind in the country — offering a faster and more efficient exchange of trade data and regulations.

Since its founding, the center has supported smoother trade between China and CEECs by sharing updates on free trade agreements, overseas registration rules, and trade data.

This year, Ningbo Customs rolled out 36 tailored measures to enhance high-level opening-up. These include a "zero-delay" clearance mechanism and uninterrupted services during holidays, aiming to streamline imports of goods and ease expo-related customs procedures.