SOFIA - The first 16+1 eCommerce Logistics Hub and Pavilion for agricultural and other products was inaugurated at Bulgaria's Trakia Economic Zone near Plovdiv on Friday.

This hub, the first of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) under the 16+1 cooperation mechanism between China and 16 CEE countries, will promote commodity exchange by providing a place to exhibit and sell products along with a full package of transport and other logistics services.

The project was implemented by the Association for the Promotion of Agricultural Cooperation between China and the CEE countries (APACCCEEC) with the support of Bulgaria's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.

Lozana Vassileva, Bulgarian deputy minister of agriculture, food and forestry, said at the inauguration ceremony that the logistics hub would become a modern bridge for more successful and reliable cooperation between CEE countries and China.

"We hope that it will be a good example for the other CEE countries in expanding the cooperation with the Chinese economy," Vassileva said.

Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Zhang Haizhou said the newly opened logistics hub provided another platform for multilateral agricultural cooperation.

Vasil Gelev, executive director of the APACCCEEC, emphasized that this logistics hub was not only for Bulgaria, but also for all CEE countries "and of course, for our most important strategic partner -- China."

"We welcome all companies interested in investing and trading to join our project," added Gelev, whose association was established at intergovernmental level in Sofia in June 2015 to coordinate the activities of the ministries on the one hand, and the businesses on the other hand.