On February 5, the Fifth Local Leaders’ Meeting of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) was held online with the theme of “Working Together for Common Development and a Shared Future”. Lai Jiao, Vice Governor of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, was invited to the plenary session of the Meeting and addressed the sixth workgroup meeting of the China-CEEC Association of Provincial Governors. The Meeting approved Ningxia’s application for membership of the China-CEEC Association of Provincial Governors. 

Lai spoke highly of the Association’s role in promoting cooperation between China and CEE countries in economy, trade, people-to-people exchanges, etc. He introduced Ningxia’s integration into the Belt and Road Initiative, its competitive and specialty industries, as well as its friendly exchanges and pragmatic cooperation with the local governments of CEE countries. He expressed that as a new member to the Association, Ningxia, by joining hands with local governments of CEE countries, will strive for closer partnership, and mutually beneficial cooperation on all fronts through extensive exchanges and deep integration. 

The China-CEEC Association of Provincial Governors was established at the Second China-CEEC Local Leaders’ Meeting held in Prague of Czech Republic. The Association now consists of 75 local governments from China and 17 CEE countries. Ningxia’s admission to the Association will help it open wider to CEE countries, thus injecting new impetus into Ningxia’s integration into the Belt and Road Initiative and its high-standard opening up and high-quality development.