Though separated by mountains and seas, China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries resonate through culture and grow closer through cooperation.In the afternoon of May 21, as the "prelude" to the 4th China-CEEC Expo, the event "A Culinary Encounter—CEE Cuisine Meets 'Delicious Zhejiang · A Thousand Dishes from a Hundred Counties'" kicked off at Ningbo's Old Bund, marking the beginning of a cross-border culinary and cultural exchanging feast.

At the Opening Ceremony

At the event, Chinese and international delicacies and products gathered at the Old Bund. Eleven chefs from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Germany, and other countries showcased their skills, cooking signature dishes on-site;meanwhile, locally branded foods carefully selected from Zhejiang’s 11 cities were also displayed, highlighting the charm of Zhejiang’s culinary culture.At the same time, a dazzling array of CEE wines, coffee, food, cosmetics, and handicrafts delighted visitors with both visual and gastronomic enjoyment.Additionally, the event featured a "Follow the Food to Tour Zhejiang" culinary route promotion, allowing attendees to immerse themselves in a "journey of flavors" and experience the fascinating collision of regional cultures on their taste buds.

Citizens Sampling Food at Stalls

International Friends Enjoying Food at Stalls

The highlight of event at the Old Bund was the meticulously arranged "Urban Street Banquet"— a hundred-person long table banquet.On the long table, Zhejiang specialties and CEE delicacies were artfully arranged: the freshness of yellow croaker with pickled vegetables intertwined with the richness of Hungarian beef goulash, while the savory red paste crab clashed with the hearty Balkan sausages, vividly showcasing the blend and symbiosis of Eastern and Western culinary cultures.Moreover, the table was adorned with decorations featuring traditional elements like tourism, art, and intangible cultural heritage. Zhejiang’s paper cuttings and CEE folk handicrafts complemented each other, with every detail highlighting the unique charm of both cultures.

At the Hundred-Person Long Table Banquet

Over the next four days, performances selected from Zhejiang’s 11 cities will take turns on the Old Bund stage, combined with "CEE esports and electronic music interactions", injecting fresh vitality into the area and creating a cultural exchanging gala that "uses food as a bridge, culture as a messenger, and exhibitions to foster integration".

At the Hundred-Person Long Table Banquet

Ningbo, the starting city of the Maritime Silk Road, has witnessed centuries of flourishing trade and cultural exchanges between China and the world.With the deepening implementation of the “Belt and Road” Initiative, Ningbo’s economic and trade ties with CEE countries have grown increasingly closer. In the first quarter of this year, Ningbo’s total import and export volume with CEE countries reached 15.29 billion yuan, i.e., a year-on-year increase of 19.8%, with expanding cooperation fields and fruitful outcomes. From trade to cultural exchanges, and infrastructure construction to sci-tech innovation, the two sides are advancing hand in hand, writing a new chapter of shared development and win-win cooperation.

Aerial View of the Jiangbei District. Photo by Mao Jiasi, Jiangbei Photographer

The Old Bund, where three rivers converge, has long been a vital hub for Ningbo’s foreign trade and cultural integration. In recent years, the Jiangbei District has actively engaged in cooperation with CEE countries, promoting international cultural exchanges by establishing platforms like the CEE Commodity Exchange and Experience Center, CEE Window, and CEE Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at the Old Bund. Today, the Old Bund has become a China-CEEC cultural exchange model base with integrated CEE cultures and comprehensive platform support.

Ningbo’s Food Stalls

The palate is a shortcut to culture—every dish carries the soul of a region. Amid the aroma of food, China and CEE countries use cuisine as a bridge and flavor as a messenger, etching friendship into every dish. In the future, with food as the bridge, both sides will further enhance culinary cultural exchanges, allowing the fruits of cultural integration and trade to flourish and shine brightly in this era of win-win cooperation.