In the first 10 months of 2020, Ningbo’s total import and export volume with 17 Central and Eastern European countries was 23.9 billion yuan, up 1.3% year-on-year; The cumulative two-way investment projects between Ningbo and Central and Eastern European countries reached 158, with an investment amount of 530 million US dollars; The Central and Eastern European Commodity Cloud Exhibition has attracted 542 Central and Eastern European enterprises and 2516 Chinese buyers to settle in
As the first 17+1 (CEE 17+China) economic and trade cooperation demonstration zone in China, despite the impact of the COVID-19, Ningbo has taken a number of powerful measures, such as launching cloud docking meetings, establishing liaison officer teams, and building industrial cooperation parks. It has joined hands with many parties to introduce the “17+1 cooperation” into depth, and handed over a brilliant report card.
Hold a cloud docking meeting
Seize new opportunities for cooperation
“The Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Commerce and China Construction Bank are working together as a ‘matchmaker’, ‘auditioning’ enterprises from China and Central and Eastern European countries, matching their needs, and arranging a screen to screen ‘blind date’. This is the first time for enterprises!” Zhou Zihao, a legal person of Ningbo Quanrong Import and Export Co., Ltd., said that the cloud matchmaking meeting jointly conducted by the government and the bank has made cross-border cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises more secure.
In order to promote cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries, promote the construction of the Ningbo 17+1 Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Zone, and enhance the demonstration and driving effect of the China Central and Eastern European Countries Expo in the Yangtze River Delta region, on the 15th of last month, the Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Commerce and China Construction Bank Ningbo Branch held a strategic cooperation agreement signing ceremony and China (Ningbo) Central and Eastern European Economic and Trade Cooperation Online Matchmaking Meeting.
38 exhibitors from Central and Eastern European countries and 10 high-quality buyers from the Parent Triangle conducted 61 one-on-one “cloud based” matchmaking and negotiation sessions across industries. In addition to traditional alcoholic beverages, dairy products, and other daily consumer goods, the products also involved multiple industries such as wood, copper, and meat. The buyers of the matchmaking meeting come from high-quality customer groups of China Construction Bank in the Yangtze River Delta region.
“As a timber import enterprise, I used to mainly cooperate with Romanian enterprises. Through matchmaking meetings, I met 19 timber merchants from Poland, Latvia, and other countries, and I have more choices of sources of goods. The government and banks are involved, and the security of the transaction is also guaranteed. As long as the price meets expectations, the probability of successful negotiation is still high.” Zhou Zihao said with a smile.
The person in charge of Ningbo Central and Eastern Europe Expo and Cooperation Promotion Center said that since June 2020, Ningbo has successfully hosted more than 20 on-screen “blind dates” such as online video, with themes related to epidemic prevention materials, daily consumer goods, etc., helping hundreds of Chinese and foreign enterprises achieve online matchmaking negotiations.
Next, Ningbo will continue to use economic and trade cooperation matchmaking meetings as the main carrier, working with well-known e-commerce platforms, large supermarket chains, banks and financial institutions, and other specialized channels to continuously integrate new content into the matchmaking meetings, seize new opportunities for cooperation, and build it into a new platform for high-quality Chinese enterprises to connect with advantageous industries in Central and Eastern Europe.
At the same time, in June 2020, Ningbo innovatively launched the Central and Eastern European Commodity Cloud Exhibition. Diplomats from 10 Central and Eastern European countries, including Serbia, entered the live broadcast room to become “Global Good Goods Recommender” to promote their own products. Many products were wiped out within seconds of being put on the shelf, and the cumulative number of viewers in the direct broadcast room exceeded 2 million. Today, as a 365 day perennial online service platform, the Central and Eastern European Commodity Cloud Exhibition attracts over 3000 enterprises from China and Central and Eastern European countries to settle in.
Build a team of liaison officers
Help enterprises expand the market
Upon receiving a call from Ningbo, China, Ms. Ivana, the export agent of Ela Magic, a manufacturer of handmade soap in Montenegro, was still a bit confused. After explaining it several times, she believed that the small souvenir she customized for the Montenegrin Embassy in China unexpectedly inadvertently knocked on the door of this year’s China Central and Eastern European Countries Expo.
In October 2020, Qian Hao, a staff member of the Ningbo Central and Eastern Europe Expo and Cooperation Promotion Center and liaison officer responsible for docking with the Republic of Montenegro, visited the Embassy of that country in China. As a diplomatic courtesy, before leaving, the embassy staff presented a small piece of souvenir handmade soap from Montenegro. “I can’t afford a foam when I go home to use it. It looks very beautiful, and I feel that I will encounter it only when I go to a high-end hotel.” Qian Hao was surprised and pleased. “Good products should not be buried. It’s no problem to show up at the second China CEEC Expo.”
At that time, it happened that the staff responsible for foreign participation at the Expo was in Ningbo to discuss business. Without delay, Qian Hao rushed over with a hand soap he had only used once. “The other party was also very interested at first glance. With our help, both parties have now made further negotiations on the customized shape, price, and quantity of handmade soap. The product is expected to also enter the Expo this year!” Qian Hao said excitedly.
Lithuanian businessman Paulius is a representative of a local heart and lung health care product exhibition. However, due to its high-end product positioning and low visibility, it is doomed to be difficult to expand the market. Previously, the Ningbo Central and Eastern Europe Expo and Cooperation Promotion Center has helped him connect back and forth several times, but the results have not been significant.
However, the liaison officer responsible for interfacing with Lithuania has not given up. Recently, at a special WeChat conference hosted by the liaison officer, Ningbo One E-commerce Platform and Paulius reached a preliminary agreement on a trial sale project for 500 boxes of health products. Currently, the two parties are conducting specific negotiations on warehousing contracts and agency sales contracts.
“Focusing on key points and meticulously carving has become a major feature of Ningbo’s work in Central and Eastern Europe in 2020.” The relevant person in charge of Ningbo Central and Eastern Europe Expo and Cooperation Promotion Center pointed out that Ningbo has pioneered the establishment of a team of Central and Eastern European liaison officers across the country, providing practical assistance to Central and Eastern European enterprises in exploring the Chinese market and finding partners one-on-one by country.
Construction of industrial cooperation park
Building a global industrial chain
On June 10, 2020, the inauguration ceremony of the Central and Eastern European International Industrial Cooperation Park was held in Yuyao, Ningbo. The first 15 projects signed for settlement included the supercar project, the hub motor fully integrated industrialization project, and the ultra-light recyclable smart paper tray project, with a total investment of 7.07 billion yuan. These projects involve multiple countries such as Slovenia, covering advantageous industries in Central and Eastern Europe such as automobile manufacturing.
The Central and Eastern Europe International Industrial Cooperation Park is actively collaborating with market-oriented entities in the “platform+enterprise” mode to carry out a series of major investment promotion, industrial forums, information exchange and other activities, and to build an international comprehensive entrepreneurship service platform and offshore incubation base that integrates talent introduction, entrepreneurship incubation, cultivation services, technology and industrial transfer, and landing security functions.
At the same time, “Made in Ningbo” has never slowed down its pace of “Going Global”, taking Central and Eastern Europe as a breakthrough and deeply participating in the construction of the “the Belt and Road”. Minshi Group invested 51.9 million US dollars in the Czech Republic in 2020 to establish Minshi Czech Co., Ltd. The project is fully funded by Ningbo Minshi Automotive Technology Research and Development Co., Ltd. Upon completion, it can achieve an annual production of 450000 sets of new energy battery packs.
“Central and Eastern European countries have a good industrial foundation, and Ningbo is also famous for its developed manufacturing industry. The two sides have conducted many in-depth cooperation in fields such as automobile manufacturing, photovoltaic industry, and new materials.” The relevant person in charge of the Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Commerce stated that the two sides can accelerate the construction of global industrial chains and enhance the level of enterprise participation in international division of labor through more diversified international cooperation. Currently, the number of two-way investment projects between Ningbo and Central and Eastern European countries ranks among the top in the country.
In February 2020, the Ningbo Municipal Party Committee and Government issued the “Overall Plan for the Construction of Ningbo China Central and Eastern European Countries Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Zone”. The plan proposes to build the demonstration area into a new channel to promote the “the Belt and Road” initiative to connect with the European economic circle, a new platform to carry 17+1 economic and trade cooperation initiatives, and a new highland for local exploration of international cooperation system innovation.
In the next step, Ningbo will give full play to its advantages in cooperation with Central and Eastern European countries, comprehensively improve the level of cooperation and exchanges in the economic, trade and cultural fields, and strive to build Ningbo into a bridgehead for a new round of opening up and cooperation and a leader in the construction of the “the Belt and Road”.
(Source: Zhejiang Daily)