Ningbo: A City of Culture, A Gateway to the World

Located at the southeastern coastline of China, Ningbo is a port city of global influence, an economic hub of southern Yangtze River Delta, and a nationally renowned city of history and culture. It covers an area of 9,816 square kilometers with a population of 9.83 million. In 2025, Ningbo’s GDP reached RMB 1.87 trillion (USD 279 billion), ranking the 11th in China.

Ningbo has a sister-city relationship with Auckland for 28 years, and China is the largest trading partner of New Zealand. Now it’s your turn to tap into that relationship. Join us to hear directly from Ningbo city leaders to explore the city’s key industries, business environment, history and culture, and what the city can offer to foreign investors.

Basic facts about Ningbo:

• Ningbo is a globally renowned port city. Ningbo is among the world’s top ten shipping hub cities. The Ningbo Zhoushan Port operates more than 300 domestic and international shipping routes, ranking 1st globally in cargo throughput and 3rd in container throughput.
• Ningbo is a hub of smart manufacturing. Ningbo is home to 1.422 million market entities and 153 listed companies both at home and abroad. In 2025, Ningbo’s industrial added value reached USD 107 billion, ranking 5th among Chinese cities.
• Ningbo is a portal to the world. Ningbo has established investment and trade ties with over 220 countries and regions and attracted more than USD 78.3 billion in cumulative utilized foreign investment. In 2025, Ningbo’s total import and export volume reached USD 2.18 billion, accounting for 3.2% of China’s total.
• Ningbo is a city of happiness. Ningbo has been named “China’s Happiest City” for 16 times. Recognized as a national benchmark city for business environment, Ningbo has consistently ranked among the top nationwide in government administration and public satisfaction with public services.