The cooperation format for Central and Eastern European (CAE) countries and China (17+1) aims to activate Chinese cooperation with 12 EU Member States (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Greece) and five Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) in the field of transport, finance, science, education, culture and other. Previously this format was known as 16+1, but in 2019 Greece became a member country.
In 2016 Latvia organized formats most important events - the fifth meeting of the Heads of Government and related events - a business forum, a meeting of national coordinators, a think tank, a conference and the first meeting of transport ministers.
The meeting of transport ministers took place on May 16-17, 2016. During it, a business conference in the field of transport and logistics was held, additionally a Logistics Secretariat was established in Riga.
Subsequent meetings of transport ministers:
- October 25-26, 2017 in Warsaw, Poland
- October 15-17, 2018 in Belgrade, Serbia
The Logistics Secretariat operates in the Ministry of Transport. The tasks of the Secretariat include preparing and compiling information on cooperation within the 17 + 1 format, following and participating in the 17+1 format events, engage in the organization of these events, setting the agenda and communicating with the organizing party.
The Secretariat also organizes Focal Point meeting. So far, two meetings have taken place: the first one was held in Riga, Latvia on September 14, 2017 and the second in Chengdu, China, on November 27-30, 2018.
From October 7-8, 2019, the Ministry of Transport of Latvia participated in the First 17+1 Civil Aviation Forum in Prague, the Czech Republic as well as in the 5th China-Central Eastern European Countries Ministerial Tourism in October 22-24, 2019.