BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping on Tuesday sent a congratulatory letter to the 2nd China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo, expressing hope that all parties can take this opportunity to tap the potential for collaboration and open up broader space for cooperation.

Xi pointed out the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism is an important platform for China and the CEEC to enhance their friendship, expand cooperation and seek common development.

The China-CEEC Summit was successfully held in February this year. At the summit, Xi stressed that under the new situation, China and the CEEC should take a practical approach to cooperation and expand the outcomes of mutually beneficial cooperation. Also at the summit, Xi put forward a plan that China would import commodities with a cumulative value of over $170 billion from the CEEC in the coming five years, and said that China would strive for doubling the import of agricultural products from the CEEC in the next five years, and continue to promote the construction of China-CEEC economic and trade cooperation demonstration zones in China's Ningbo and other places.

"With the joint efforts of all relevant parties, the results of the summit are being implemented," Xi said.

Xi said the 2nd China-CEEC Expo will help the Chinese market learn more about the commodities from the CEEC, expand CEEC's exports to China, and help all parties respond to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and promote the economic recovery.

The 2nd China-CEEC Expo opened in Ningbo of east China's Zhejiang province on Tuesday, with the theme of "Fostering a New Development Paradigm, Sharing a Win-Win Opportunity." The expo is jointly organized by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the Zhejiang Provincial People's Government, attracting guests and companies from China and the CEEC.