Poland is located at the junction of Eastern Europe and Western Europe and is the center of Europe. Poland’s population accounts for about 1/3 of the total population of Central and Eastern Europe, its economic output accounts for about 1/3 of the total economic output of Central and Eastern Europe, and the bilateral trade volume between China and Poland also accounts for 1/3 of the total trade volume between China and Central and Eastern Europe. As the largest economy in Central Europe, Poland has nearly 40 million consumers, which is more than the sum of the three countries of Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Poland officially became a member of the European Union on May 1, 2004, and joined the Schengen Area on December 21, 2007. After joining the European Union, Poland has obtained more stable and greater market access and financial assistance. The European Union injected loans into Poland to improve its backward facilities, which also accelerated the pace of Poland’s development. Political stability and joining the European Union have made Poland’s trade freer and more convenient, reduced costs, and increased market potential. Its unique geographical and economic advantages have made it gradually become the economic development center of Central and Eastern Europe.
China-Poland economic and trade cooperation has a solid foundation, strong complementarity in economic and trade cooperation, and huge potential for cooperation. Poland is one of the first countries to respond to the Belt and Road Initiative and to sign the Belt and Road Intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding with China. In recent years, the trade between the two countries has maintained an average annual growth rate of 8%. In 2018, the bilateral trade volume reached US$24.58 billion, a year-on-year increase of 15.3%. China and Poland are each other’s largest trading partners in their respective regions. 90% of China-Europe trains pass through or arrive in Poland. The Port of Gdansk is the distribution center of COSCO Shipping in the Baltic Sea. Nearly 20,000 TEU container ships travel between Poland and the Far East every week. As an emerging economy in the European Union, Poland is committed to re-industrialization and is eager to connect its proposed “Three Seas Cooperation” initiative with the Belt and Road Initiative. Poland is a processing industry center. Poland imports many products from China for reprocessing and then exports them to other European countries.
Many favorable conditions have promoted the rapid development of Poland’s exhibition industry. The Poznan International Fair (MTP), which has a history of more than 100 years, has long been ranked first in Central and Eastern Europe in terms of exhibition scale and history; although the Kielce International Fair (Targikielce) has only a 26-year history, it has become the second largest exhibition center in Central and Eastern Europe with its rapid development speed, reputation for well-known professional exhibitions, and the scale of organizing 70 exhibitions every year. In the past three years, the newly built Warsaw Exhibition and Convention Center (PTAK), with its exhibition hall area of 143,000 square meters, has surpassed MTP to become the largest exhibition center in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe.
Poland’s exhibition industry covers all fields, and many exhibitions have become the largest and most well-known exhibitions in Central and Eastern Europe. For example, the Kielce International Defense and Military Supplies Exhibition, the Polish Agricultural Machinery Exhibition, the Polish Plastics Industry Exhibition, the Polish Industrial Week, the Polish Lighting Exhibition, the Polish Automobile and Accessories Exhibition, the Polish Food Exhibition, the Polish Railway Transportation Exhibition, etc.
In recent years, Chinese companies have achieved very good trade results by participating in Polish exhibitions voluntarily or through relevant organizations. Some powerful domestic exhibition organizers or government agencies have also organized Chinese product exhibitions with different themes in Poland. Enterprises participating in exhibitions in Poland have brought positive impacts on the economy and trade of Poland and surrounding areas, and also promoted cooperation between surrounding areas and foreign investors.