On February 9, 2021, President Xi Jinping presided over the China-CEEC Leaders Summit in Beijing by video, which was attended by Heads of State, Heads of Government and high-level representatives of CEEC countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Albania, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, North Macedonia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania. Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech entitled “Keeping up the Momentum and Working Together for A New Chapter in China-CEE Cooperation”. Xi Jinping emphasized that China-CEEC cooperation is a vivid practice of multilateralism and an important part of China-EU relations, which adheres to the principle of co-construction, pragmatism, balance, openness, tolerance, innovation and enterprising. China is willing to work with Central and Eastern European countries to conform to the general trend of the times, achieve a higher level of common development and mutual benefit and win-win results, and work together to promote the construction of the Community of Shared Future for Mankind. Xi Jinping pointed out in his speech that China-CEEC cooperation has gone through nine years.

Nine years on, China-CEEC cooperation has stood the test of time and intricate changes in the international landscape. It has developed some principles that are reflective of its distinctive features and accepted by all parties.

First, making decisions through consultation. China-CEEC cooperation is based on mutual respect and has no political strings attached. All countries involved, regardless of their size, are equal partners in a cooperation mechanism featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits.

Second, delivering benefits to all cooperation partners. With its focus on real results, and to make our cooperation more balanced, China-CEEC cooperation have pursued both economic cooperation and cultural exchanges, placed equal importance on trade and investment. Today, trade between China and CEE countries is nearly 85 percent bigger than nine years ago, and the number of mutual tourist visits has grown nearly four times. The China-Europe Railway Express has reached most of the CEE countries, and a large number of cooperation projects have achieved gratifying results.

Third, pursuing common development through openness and inclusiveness. We have drawn on each other's strengths through mutual learning, and narrowed differences and resolved disagreements through consultation and cooperation. We have followed widely-accepted international rules, conformed to market principles and welcome the participation of other countries and international organizations in our cooperation to achieve win-win results.

Fourth, achieving bigger growth through innovation. We have taken steps early on to explore the possibility of aligning cross-regional cooperation with the “Belt and Road Initiative”, making Central and Eastern Europe the first region where all countries have signed agreements on Belt and Road cooperation.

Xi Jinping pointed out that We are living in challenging times. In the face of such unprecedented challenges, countries must come together and respond with solidarity and coordination like never before. Xi Jinping put forward four suggestions on China-CEEC cooperation and development under the new situation:  

First, we need to tackle COVID-19 head on and boost confidence in cooperation to tide over the tough times. Fighting the pandemic is currently the most pressing task for us. Our two sides could enhance joint response and experience sharing on prevention and treatment, explore cooperation on traditional medicine, and scale up public health and medical cooperation. These efforts will contribute to a global community of health for all. China stands ready for vaccine cooperation with CEE countries. We need to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.The priority for the time being is to coordinate COVID response and economic and social development, resume travels and economic activities in a prudent and orderly manner, and keep industrial and supply chains stable.

Second, we need to focus on connectivity and develop smooth avenues of cooperation for interconnected development. We need to keep improving connectivity as a solid foundation for interconnected development at a higher level. We could pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, speed up such major projects as the Budapest-Belgrade Railway, and continue to support the development of the China-Europe Railway Express. We should deepen customs security and clearance coordination, on a pilot basis under the "Smart Customs, Smart Borders and Smart Connectivity" Initiative.

Third, we need to aim for concrete results and increase cooperation outcomes that benefit both sides. China intends to import, in the coming five years, more than 170 billion US dollars of goods from CEE countries. We should accelerate the import process of agricultural food products from Central and Eastern European countries to China, to double China's agricultural imports from Central and Eastern European countries in the next five years, and increase the agricultural trade volume between the two sides by 50%. China proposes to cooperate in building agricultural wholesale markets in Central and Eastern European countries. We will continue to promote the construction of China-CEEC economic and trade cooperation demonstration zones and industrial parks in Ningbo and Cangzhou. We should strengthen cultural exchanges and take Beijing Winter Olympics as an opportunity to deepen sports cooperation.

Fourth, we need to focus on green development and forge drivers of future-oriented cooperation. We will steadfastly push forward international cooperation on climate change, and take 2021 as an opportunity to deepen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of green economy and clean energy. We propose to establish The China-CEEC Innovation Cooperation Research Center, to host the China-CEEC Youth Science and Technology Talent Forum, to expand cooperation in digital economy, e-commerce and health industry. We support setting up a China-CEEC dialogue mechanism on e-commerce cooperation and a China-CEEC alliance in the public health industry.

Finally, Xi Jinping emphasized that China will speed up the construction of a new development pattern, continue to open wider to the outside world, participate more actively in bilateral, multilateral and regional cooperation, and achieve a higher level of mutual benefit and win-win with other countries. China's sustained development and opening-up will inject strong momentum into the recovery and growth of the world economy, and will also open up wider space for cooperation between China and CEE countries. China is willing to build a new consensus and draw a new blueprint with Central and Eastern European countries, help their respective development through cooperation, enrich the content of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, and work together to build an open world economy and a new type of international relations.

Participants positively evaluated the achievements of cooperation between CEE countries and China, and held that this important cross-regional cooperation mechanism promoted infrastructure construction and economic and social development in CEEC, which was in line with the common interests of all parties, expanded EU-China cooperation and achieved mutual benefit and win-win results. With the current epidemic spreading and the world economy in deep recession, it is of great significance for President Xi Jinping to initiate and preside over this summit, which will become a new important milestone in the cooperation between Central and Eastern European countries and China. All parties are willing to continue to participate in this cooperation, help each other in the same boat, join hands in fighting the epidemic, promote economic recovery, practice multilateralism and jointly meet various global challenges.

All parties appreciate China's important contribution to international anti-epidemic cooperation, especially President Xi Jinping's commitment to regard Chinese vaccines as global public goods, and hope to strengthen cooperation with China in the fields of vaccines and public health. All parties agree with the practical cooperation proposals put forward by President Xi Jinping, and are willing to actively build the "the Belt and Road Initiative", expand commodity exports to China, welcome Chinese enterprises to invest, promote cooperation in the fields of interconnection, scientific and technological innovation, digital economy and green development, facilitate personnel exchanges, deepen humanistic exchanges, promote cooperation to achieve more results and benefit people of all countries.

Leaders from all over the world pay tribute to the Chinese people, wishing them a happy New Year and a lucky Year of the Ox.

Observers from Austria, Belarus, the European Union, Switzerland and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development attended the summit.

The Summit published the Beijing Activity Plan for China-CEEC Cooperation in 2021 and the List of Achievements of the Summit of Leaders of China-CEEC Countries.

Xue Xiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi and He Lifeng attended.

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