Chinese state councilor calls on China, CEEC to elevate cooperation to new heights

JINAN, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin on Tuesday called on China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) to strengthen strategic alignment, prioritize green innovation and promote people-to-people connectivity to continuously elevate their cooperation to new heights.

The China-CEEC cooperation mechanism has yielded fruitful outcomes over the past 14 years since its launch, giving strong impetus to the coordinated development of bilateral ties, regional cooperation and China-EU relations, Shen said when addressing the opening ceremony of the seventh China-CEEC Local Leaders' Meeting and 2026 Shandong International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Exchange Week in Jinan, east China's Shandong Province.

Shen said as a vital component of China-CEEC cooperation, local-level cooperation should grasp the prevailing trend of history and stay committed to open cooperation.

CEEC representatives expressed readiness to adhere to the principles of mutual respect and mutually-beneficial cooperation, further deepen local exchanges and cooperation with China, and keep contributing to the growth of CEEC-China relations.

The event brought together approximately 400 participants from 44 countries, including incumbent and former political leaders, provincial and municipal governors, diplomats, and representatives from sister cities, business councils and enterprises. Enditem