November 26, 2017. Budapest – The Economic Research Institute of Central and Eastern Europe (ERICEE) held its first roundtable today in Budapest, bringing together renowned academics and government leaders from Europe and China a day ahead of the China-CEE 16 + 1 Summit. CEIBS Vice President and Co-Dean Prof. Zhang Weijiong gave a keynote speech at the roundtable, along with former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Hungary’s Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga. Brown is an International Advisor to the SINO-CEE Fund which launched the ERICEE last year together with CEIBS under the umbrella of the CEIBS Lujiazui Institute of International Finance. Chairman of the SINO-CEE Fund and Director of CEIBS Lujiazui Institute of International Finance Prof. Jiang Jianqing also participated in the roundtable.

The ERICEE aims to leverage CEIBS’ expertise and resources on finance, international economy and trade, carry out continuous studies into the economic, political, historical and cultural areas of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), and generate intellectual support and policy suggestions for cooperation and communication between China and the CEE countries. It is in line with national-level initiatives to support the “16+1” cooperation (China plus the 16 major CEE countries) and the Belt and Road Initiative.

During his keynote speech, Prof Zhang Weijiong discussed the economic situation in Central and Eastern Europe and the opportunities that the CEE countries have to boost their economic development independent of the Western Europe market. He noted that many new development opportunities can be found by looking east, to Asia. The CEE countries have well-developed education systems, resources and manufacturing capabilities. Bringing these advantages to countries in Central Asia and China’s middle and western regions which are less developed but offer a large potential market offers a win-win outcome for all. The Belt and Road Initiative provides CEE countries with the opportunity to enter these large undeveloped markets which can help boost their economies.

Also participating in today’s roundtable was President of New Silk Road Institute Prague and Adviser to the President of the Czech Republic Jan Kohout, Deputy Finance Minister of Poland Marian Banaś, and CEO of the Hungarian Export-Import Bank Zoltan Urban.