China, CEE countries face golden opportunity to accelerate cooperation

In the opinion of Slovak Economy Minister Vazil Hudak, the meeting will improve understanding and better communication between CEE countries and China.

"The whole region could be interested in larger infrastructure projects like communication, transport or some energy infrastructure between these countries, meaning gas pipelines. It pushes these countries to work together on important and perspective projects," he said.

On the strategic significance of the China-CEE leaders' meeting, Sanja Vasic, director of the Center for International Economic Relations of the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce, said the mechanism can help narrow the development gap between Eastern and Western Europe and enhance links between Europe and China.

"Under this mechanism, China-Serbia trade and economic cooperation has made headway in both quality and quantity. We also hope that besides infrastructure and energy, our two countries' cooperation will achieve fruitful results in agriculture, industry, tourism and other service sectors," she said.

Belt and road - new opportunity for cooperation

Amid increasing economic globalization, China's development has been gradually integrated into and interwoven with that of the rest of the world, while the world's development is also related to the Chinese people's dream for a better future.

As China is the largest developing nation and the second-largest economy in the world, any major development in the formulation of its socio-economic policies will definitely arouse worldwide attention.

Countries across the globe, including Central and Eastern Europe, are looking forward to strengthening cooperation with China, so as to share more dividends from the Asian giant's reform and development.

According to the Chinese Commerce Ministry, about 1,000 Chinese and CEE business leaders will participate in the trade and economic forum during the summit, in which the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative is expected to become a hot topic.

The initiative, proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013 and comprising the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, is aimed at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes.

As a quarter of the countries along the routes are located in Central and Eastern Europe, the region can give full play to its geographical advantage as a linkage between Europe and Asia and take part in relevant projects.