CANGZHOU, China, Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by Xinhuanet:  

On November 7, the 6th China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) (Cangzhou) SME Cooperation Forum commenced in Cangzhou, Hebei Province. The forum was jointly hosted by the China Centre for Promotion of SME Development (ProSME) of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Hebei Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, and Cangzhou Municipal People's Government. Supporting organizations include the China International Cooperation Association of SMEs (CICASME) and the Office of Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Hebei Provincial Committee. The event was co-organized by the China-CEEC (Cangzhou) SME Cooperation Zone and the Cangzhou Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology.

This year's forum, themed "Deepening Cooperation and Sharing Opportunities," combines both offline and online formats, with a primary focus on in-person engagement. Key activities include the Opening Ceremony and Keynote Forum, the Zero-Carbon Energy and Green Industry Innovation Forum, the International Forum on Remanufacturing Industry, the International Forum on Aviation Industry and Low Altitude Economy, and the SMEs' Cross-border Collaboration and Matchmaking Meeting, and the European Segment of the 2024 International SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition.

Throughout the forum, leading experts and dignitaries from around the world delivered speeches under the theme 'New Path for Pragmatic Cooperation between SMEs of China and CEECs.' They emphasized the critical roles of sustainable energy, the digital economy, and trade and logistics in strengthening ties between China and Central and Eastern European countries. In parallel, the event featured a range of innovative activities aimed at building an international platform to foster industrial cooperation and exchanges among SMEs from the participating nations.

At the Zero-Carbon Energy and Green Industry Innovation Forum, participating specialists and researchers engaged in discussions on developing a zero-carbon economy. They explored new opportunities, technologies, models, and challenges associated with lithium, hydrogen, and energy storage, with the aim of collaboratively advancing the green economy.

By attracting leading European innovation projects, the European division of the 2024 International SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition has successfully transformed a number of innovative ideas into real-world applications, enhancing the collaborative development of new technologies between Chinese and European SMEs.

The China-CEEC (Cangzhou) SME Cooperation Forum, now in its sixth year, has emerged as Hebei Province's leading foreign affairs initiative. The forum has drawn high-profile participants from Slovakia, Serbia, Germany, Finland, and neighboring countries, as well as ambassadors to China, and executives from leading Chinese and international industry associations and businesses. It has also spurred numerous collaborative projects between China and Central and Eastern European countries, enhancing cultural exchanges, educational partnerships, and technology transfers.

Cangzhou is positioning the forum as a premier, open platform designed to be engaging, impactful, and competitive. The city's objective is to significantly improve and sustain high-level interactions and collaborations between China and Central and Eastern European countries across the manufacturing, technology, investment and trade sectors.