Premier Li Keqiang said he hopes Central and Eastern European countries will have a bigger share in the huge Chinese market.

The Premier spoke during a news conference held with his Hungarian and Bulgarian counterparts, Orban Viktor and Boyko Borisov, on Nov 27 in Budapest, following the sixth Meeting of the Heads of Government of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC).

Premier Li affirmed that the fruitful China-CEEC cooperation went beyond expectation. The bilateral trade volume over the first three quarters of this year saw an increase of 14.1 percent. A more than twofold rise was witnessed in China’s outbound investment to CEEC over the past five years; meanwhile, the number of Chinese holidaymakers to CEEC more than quadrupled, reaching nearly 1 million.

Premier Li said a recent three percent annual average economic growth that CEEC attained was commendable. The figure for China was about seven percent, with consumption being the main driver.

China’s economy will retain its mid-high speed growth, which heralds a prospect of rising to a mid-high level. In this case, there will be a continuing acceleration in the demands for high-quality and customized products in the Chinese market.

It is estimated in the next five years that China will need imports worth more than $8 trillion and 700 million overseas trips will be made, offering a great opportunity for 16+1 cooperation, Premier Li said.

China will import more high-quality products from CEEC and boost its outbound tourism to these countries. Additionally, CEEC are more than welcome to expand their involvement in the Chinese market, the Premier said.