DUBROVNIK — China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) on April 12 agreed to provide a level playing field for foreign companies doing business in their own countries.

The agreement was made in The Dubrovnik Guidelines for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries, which was released after the eighth China-CEEC leaders’ meeting in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik.

According to the guidelines, the participants underline that the China-CEEC cooperation constitutes an important part of Europe-China relationship and complements the comprehensive strategic partnership between the European Union (EU) and China.

They reaffirm their commitment to deepening their partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization, and in this respect, the participants support the early conclusion of an ambitious EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment, said the document.

The participants recognize the importance of the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU Strategy on Connecting Europe and Asia and welcome forging synergies between them, it said.

The participants express their willingness to conduct cooperation using the opportunities provided by the initiative and the strategy, which for the EU member states would also complement relevant EU initiatives, it added.

China will host the ninth China-CEEC leaders’ meeting in 2020, according to the guidelines. The China-CEEC cooperation annually holds the leaders’ meeting in participating countries.

This year in Dubrovnik, Greece was accepted on April 12 as a full member of the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism. It was previously known as 16+1 cooperation since it included 16 Central and Eastern European countries and China. Greece’s participation makes it become 17+1 cooperation.