Ningbo, Zhejiang province, hosted the "Serbian Innovation Tour in Ningbo" event on June 5, spotlighting emerging biotech partnerships between China and Central and Eastern Europe.

The event, supported by the science and technology departments of both countries, brought together over 20 Chinese institutions in biomedicine and life sciences and five Serbian frontier tech companies. It led to a series of prospective cooperation agreements and further energized innovation efforts for the Belt and Road Initiative.

At the matchmaking session, Serbian companies presented solutions targeting key industry pain points. The BioIRC R&D Center introduced its EU-funded SILICOFCM cloud platform, which integrates computer graphics and image processing to produce customizable 3D heart models for diagnosis — attracting strong interest from Chinese AI healthcare firms.

Scientist Bojana Mumovic shared a natural iron absorption formula proven in animal trials to prevent anemia. Several Ningbo-based companies expressed early interest in collaboration.

HerbElixa, a Serbian herbal innovation firm, drew attention with its patented supplement, based on Mediterranean essential oils. Scientifically proven to eliminate drug-resistant Helicobacter pylori, the product elicited interest in Asian market expansion.

"Over 40 percent of the population in China and neighboring countries suffers from this issue," said a representative of the company representative, "We're seeking Chinese partners to bring this solution to Asia."

As the first stop of the Serbian Innovation Tour in China, Ningbo continues to propel forward China-CEEC science and technology cooperation. The partnership is set to expand to other cities including Suzhou and Shanghai, further powering bilateral innovation exchanges.