17+1 cooperation forum

Why in news?

• Lithuania said it was quitting China's 17+1 cooperation forum with central and eastern European states

About the forum:

• Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (China-CEE, China-CEEC) is an initiative by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote business and investment relations between China and 16 countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
• It was also called 17+1 cooperation forum (now called 16+1, after Lithuanian departure).
• The countries are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.
• The format was founded in 2012 in Warsaw to push for cooperation of the "17+1" (the 17 CEE countries and China).
• The 17+1 meet annually and secretariat is in Beijing.
• The format's goals are to promote the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative and enhance cooperation in the fields of infrastructure, transportation and logistics, trade and investment".
• These goals are supported by growing ties in the areas of culture, education and tourism, cultural exchanges, think tanks and NGOs.

Prelims Question

Which of the following countries do not belong to the group known as Baltic countries?
(a)Belarus
(b)Estonia
(c)Latvia
(d)Lithuania

Answer to Prelims question