Polish President Andrzej Duda pressed Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Tuesday to boost trade with Central and Eastern European countries, calling economic ties with Beijing "insufficient".

Speaking during an online summit between Xi and some regional leaders, Duda said he wanted "more tangible and mutually beneficial results".

Duda suggested they be "primarily in the form of China's increased imports of goods and services from Central and Eastern European countries and a greater influx of Chinese greenfield investments."

He said more balanced trade relations would serve as a basis for post-pandemic economic recovery.

Duda urged China in particular to "lift administrative restrictions on imports of agricultural goods from Poland".

Xi said that China intended to import more than $170 billion (141 billion euros) worth of goods from Central and Eastern Europe over the next five years.

He also promised to "speed up" the entry into China of agri-food products from these countries.

Asked about Duda's comments, China's vice foreign minister Qin Gang told media: "The most important thing is that our partners make products that are competitive and win the hearts of Chinese consumers."

Tuesday's meeting was of the 17+1 group, a forum for cooperation between ex-communist European states and China that was launched in 2012.

At the time, Beijing vowed to commit $10.5 billion in credit lines and funds to boost economic ties with the region, but analysts say cash injections have been slow to materialise.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also underscored Tuesday a huge trade deficit with China.

He estimated the value of Polish imports from China at $26 billion and the value of its exports at $3.0 billion.

"We have been striving for years to at least narrow this gap," he said.

Along with other EU countries, Poland has embraced China's Belt and Road trade infrastructure project despite concerns that it could lead to growing Chinese influence on the continent.

Czech President Milos Zeman greeted Xi Tuesday as a "good and long-time friend" and said Czech companies were also ready to take part in the project.

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