PRAGUE, April 15 (Xinhua) -- A promotion event for the ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE) took place in Prague on Wednesday, with participants highlighting the vast opportunities in the Chinese market for Czech companies and the importance of deepening bilateral economic cooperation.
The event, jointly organized by the CIIE Bureau, the Chinese Embassy in the Czech Republic, and the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade, brought together over 100 participants, including government officials and representatives from sectors such as machinery, biomedicine, and cross-border logistics.
Addressing the event, Chinese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Feng Biao said the CIIE, as the world's first national-level import-themed expo, serves as a major platform for China to expand its opening-up.
It is also increasingly becoming a vital platform for global enterprises to share opportunities in the Chinese market, Feng said, encouraging Czech companies to bring more high-quality products to Chinese consumers.
Czech Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Jan Sechter said the Czech Republic has been participating in the expo regularly since its launch in 2018. "We see the expo as a platform for dialogue, trust-building and the development of economic relations," he said.
His country aims to enhance trade cooperation with China and build new partnerships, focusing on the practical dimension of bilateral relations, he added.
Ge Hong, deputy director-general of the CIIE Bureau, described the expo as a window for China to build a new development paradigm, a platform for promoting high-standard opening-up, and an international public good shared by the world.
Frantisek Chaloupecky, vice president of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic, stressed the importance of practical cooperation between businesses. "We want to further develop these activities and create new opportunities for Czech companies," he said.
At the event, the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic and the CIIE Bureau signed a memorandum of cooperation to support Czech companies in participating in the expo due in Shanghai this November and further strengthen bilateral trade ties.
Chaloupecky said the memorandum will provide a foundation for expanded cooperation.
