Chongqing – A delegation of national coordinators for cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) visited Chongqing on April 10-11 at the invitation of the Secretariat of the China-CEEC Cooperation Mechanism. The visit was aimed at deepening friendly exchanges and mutual understanding between Chongqing and CEEC countries, while exploring new areas for collaboration.

Delegation members take a test ride in a Changan automobile. (Photo/He Yu)

The delegation included national coordinators or their representatives, as well as diplomats and envoys from several CEEC countries. During the two-day visit, they toured key logistics hubs, leading enterprises, cultural landmarks, and medical institutions in Chongqing, with a focus on international logistics corridors, intelligent connected new energy vehicles (NEVs), and high-end medical equipment.

Building Logistics Bridges

At the Chongqing Railway Port and the Inland International Logistics Hub Exhibition Center, the delegation learned about the city’s role as an operations and organizing center for the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and as a hub for China-Europe railway express services. They observed the city’s multimodal transport system, international logistics layout, and customs clearance facilitation.

The delegation at Tuanjiecun Station. (Photo/Deng Nan)

The delegation spoke highly of Chongqing’s efforts to connect Europe and Asia through its channel advantages. They noted that CEEC countries and Chongqing have a solid foundation and broad prospects for cooperation in international logistics, cross-border trade, and corridor development.

The delegation learns about the China-Europe Railway Express during a meeting. (Photo/Deng Nan)

Zlatan Burzic, Head of Cabinet of the Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said of the logistics corridor: “I think it’s a very, very important project because it connects businesses. It makes it more efficient, more reliable, faster and it brings benefit to the whole countries involved in the project. We’re not yet well connected to it in terms of the infrastructure, but I’m really looking forward to that my country takes a greater part in this project.”

The delegation learns about the China-Europe Railway Express. (Photo/Deng Nan)

According to official data, Chongqing operates China-Europe railway express routes reaching Duisburg, Germany, with services covering Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania, Croatia, and other CEEC countries. Regular two-way freight train services have been established with these nations. In 2025, Chongqing’s total import and export volume with CEEC countries reached 18.114 billion yuan (approximately US$2.46 billion), up 7.8% year on year. In the first two months of 2026, the figure stood at 2.384 billion yuan (around US$324 million), a remarkable year-on-year increase of 41.1%.

Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Synergy

On the afternoon of April 10, the delegation visited Changan Automobile, where they learned about Chongqing’s technological innovation, supply chain integration, and global strategy in the intelligent connected NEV industry, gaining insights into the city’s path to becoming a world-class intelligent auto cluster.

Delegation members photograph Changan's display vehicles. (Photo/Deng Nan)

Rastislav Hindický, Ambassador of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, said: “It was a very nice experience to visit this production and see the new models and old models, the variety of the models – very versatile for many purposes – and also the various type of motor engines, electrical and hybrid engine. I also asked and considered how competitive the prices are. So I think that it has a very good perspective also for export.”

Delegation members take a close look at the engines used in Changan automobiles. (Photo/Liang Qinqing)

The delegation also visited Haifu Medical, where they learned about the development of focused ultrasound non-invasive treatment technology and equipment, exploring potential cooperation in high-end medical devices and life sciences.

The person in charge introduces Haifu Medical's advanced technology. (Photo/Deng Nan)

Delegation members agreed that CEEC countries and Chongqing have strong complementarities in automotive manufacturing, life sciences, and technological innovation, offering great potential for deeper industrial alignment, technical collaboration, and project implementation.

Chongqing already has a solid cooperation foundation with CEEC countries in science and technology. Platforms such as the China (Chongqing)-Serbia Technology Transfer Center and the China-Hungary Technology Transfer Center (Chongqing) have been established. Southwest University leads the China-Hungary Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Food Science, focusing on food microbiology and other areas to facilitate common technological breakthroughs.

The visit concluded with both sides expressing a strong commitment to further enhancing practical cooperation under the China-CEEC framework, building on Chongqing’s strategic location and industrial strengths.