Ningbo's trade with Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) amounted to 21.61 billion yuan ($3.32 billion) from January to July, rising by 44.5 percent year-on-year, official statistics show.

The city in East China's Zhejiang province has signed cooperation agreements with 41 business associations in CEEC to date, according to Zhao Dafang, secretary-general of the Ningbo municipal trade promotion association.

On Sept 19, a forum was held in Ningbo, which gathered a number of business representatives, scholars, as well as experts to share their insights into opportunities and challenges in CEEC in the post-COVID-19 period.

Ningbo has forged increasingly closer ties with CEEC in recent years.

Two editions of the China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair have been held in the city. A permanent exhibition hall displaying CEEC commodities, the largest of its kind in China, has also been erected in the city.

Ningbo is also home to China-CEEC signature cooperation projects like the CEEC International Industrial Cooperation Park and the China-CEEC Innovation Cooperation Research Center.