Ningbo

Tantoushan is coming!

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:50:41 GMT

The Tantoushan trip is coming soon! I had to move some seats around, and decreased the size of the busses, but I was able to make some room and allow some others to join. Actually.. many people that could not make it last week are going now.. so there are many fresh names and faces. Take a look at the updated seating chart to see who is going!!

There are 3 seats available on the bus leaving Friday at 12:00
There are 11 seats available on the bus leaving Saturday at 06:00

If you know anyone that is interested… please let me know! I want to fill those busses!

http://www.aebusinessnetwork.com/tantou/home.htm

http://www.aebusinessnetwork.com/tantou/flyer/bus%20list.pdf

Silent Auction

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:48:32 GMT

Lobster Bar and Grill Presents

Silent Auction of
Grand Vin De Chateau Latour
Monday 20 September 2010, 5:30 p.m.
Vintage 1988
Starts from RMB 9,999
The dark coloured, elegant and classic 1988 Latour reveals slight amber at the edge, with a bouquet of plums, blackcurrant and cedar by a sweet entry, medium to full-bodied, excellent ripeness, and mature tannin.
5:30 – 6 p.m. Reception & Dinner
8 p.m. Silent Auction begins
Four-course wine pairing set menu at RMB 518 nett

For reservations,
please call (85 574) 8799 7888.

龙虾酒吧扒房举行

拉图尔酒庄正牌葡萄酒缄默拍卖会
2010年9月20日星期一晚5点30分

酿造年份：1988年
起拍价人民币 9,999元

经典、高贵的拉图尔酒压轴拍卖品。其本体边缘略呈琥珀色，此酒酒体属中度浓郁、醇熟饱满、单宁成熟，由焦油、李子、黑加仑子、檀木香和丛林等各类芬香交融一体，后味甘美。

5点30分至6点接待 & 晚餐
晚8点缄默拍卖会开始
套餐搭配酒水（四道菜）人民币 518 净价

预约请致电
(85 574) 8799 7888

Year Cakes Sell Well in Summer

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:19:04 GMT

Employees in Shundong Year Cake Company are producing year cakes, which sell well this summer. The company daily produces 8,000 kilograms year cakes, which are sold in supermarkets and agricultural food markets in Ningbo.

Ready for Fishing Season

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:18:13 GMT

With the fishing season coming, fishermen are now preparing ice, oil and fishing nets after three month’s break. In the picture, a fisherman with ice on is ready for its voyage to the sea.

14th Auto Ningbo Held

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:16:41 GMT

The 14th session of the Ningbo International Automobile Expo, which is famed as the wine vane of the Zhejiang automobile sector, was opened at the International Conference and Exhibition Center. It gathers 70 brands with over 300 models, providing a good opportunity for people to appreciate and purchase cars.

Posters Helps Promote Energy Saving

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:15:34 GMT

Clerks in Government Office Building of Haishu District are putting up pictures prompting energy saving. For recent days, such pictures have been put up in government institutions, street offices, communities and some great buildings. The activity was conducted by Energy-saving Office of Haishu District and District Community of Haishu for the purpose of energy saving and emission reduction could be promoted in government institutions, great buildings and living quarters. They hoped that the activity could held people realized the significance of energy saving and emission reduction.

Typhoon Kompasu Withered away

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:14:33 GMT

Typhoon Kompasu strengthened into a Category 3 storm capable of “devastating damage” after crossing Okinawa in Japan and heading toward Southeast China. On the night of August 31, fishers were summoned back to a harbor. But now Kompasu has withered away.

East Railway Station Put into Use from September 8

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:13:16 GMT

South Railway Station, which has been in service for 51 years, will be temporarily stopped. With three year’s extension and reform, East Railway Station will replace South Station as a temporary transportation center. Scaffold around waiting room of East Station has been dismantled and glass screen has been installed. Other supporting facilities have almost been completed. All these have prepared East Station for the first train arriving at 7, September 8.

Ningbo Art Performance in Taego

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:12:25 GMT

An art group from Ningbo was invited to take part folk art communication in Taego, Korea. More than one thousand residents in Taego watched Ningbo opera and Shaoxing Opera performed by Ningbo Art Group.

Land of Croquet Prepares for National Match

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:11:00 GMT

Players of croquet in Luotuo, Zhenhai District are training to prepare for a croquet competition for the old in Henan Province.

Serve for Foreign Investors Month Initiated

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:07:41 GMT

With the help of Zhejiang Investment and Trade Symposium and Ningbo Week, the introduction of foreign investment has stepped out of the situation of decline. A meeting on foreign investment introduction and serving for foreign investors was held. the meeting said that the foreign investment by contract in the first eight month reached 2.495 billion USD, an increase of 20% over the same period of last year.

With Optimizing Environment for Foreign Investment as the theme, Ningbo Government will introduce several policies to help foreign investors to solve problems, including policies, employees, social security, transportation and medical care.

100 Law Experts, 100 Law Lectures Held in Ningbo

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:06:59 GMT

An activity titled 100 Law Experts, 100 Law Lectures was held in Ningbo from September 3. Xia Li’an, a professor from Judicial Expertise Center of Zhejiang University gave a speech titled Social Management Innovation and Legal Guarantee.
On the level of society, government and public, Xia listed lots of examples to give the definition and standard of social management innovation, legal guarantee and humanism from the perspective of history and reality.
The activity was initiated by Propaganda Department, Politics and Law Committee and Chinese Law Academy. It has lasted for four years. According to the arrangement of the Organizing Committee, the lectures will be held in Zhenhai and Beilun.

Metro Refurbished and Opens to Public Again

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:06:15 GMT

Metro, the earliest one-stop large supermarket in Ningbo, was recently refurbished. It is known to all that buyer going to Metro have to produce the membership card. This marketing mode is not suitable for individual buyers. We know that there are more and more large chain stores swarming into Ningbo and the competition is turning white hot. But the newly furbished Metro store still hangs on to its own style. Take a look.

The newly furbished Metro store in Yinzhou reduces the number of product categories from the former 21,000 to 15,000, but increases 1,000 items that meet the needs of professional buyers. For instance, it has more varieties of imported fish and office supplies. On the other hand, Metro manages to keep its traditional advantages. It keeps offering organic vegetables, pork, and seasonings, but they are still sold in bales. Many are packed 50 kilos per bale. Wang Weibin, GM of Metro Yinzhou Store, says, “From marketing perspective, each company has its own special marketing team and its own target market. What you need to do is to break down the market.”

It is known to all that many big supermarkets and stores have not adopted the more differentiated marketing strategy. Their management patterns, product structure, pricing and services are all similar to each other. The cash-and-carry model of Metro means that it is not oriented to ordinary consumers. Wang says, “What we target are mainly professional buyers, such as group purchasers, companies and institutions, restaurants, and hotels, etc.” Based on such considerations, Metro requires buyers to produce membership cards before they are admitted. They have specific requirements for applying for a membership card. Those who come the earliest will pay the least, which is their marketing philosophy.

New Policy on Medical Insurance

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:05:36 GMT

Starting from September, all those covered in the medical insurance system will enjoy the new policies. Those joining in the new medical insurance are mainly elderly people, infants and children. The new privileges will include: the payment of hospitalization medical fund is raised by 3%; the ceiling amount of hospitalization medical expenses is increased to 150,000. Hemophilia is for the first time categorized as special diseases.

50 Movable Libraries to Be Built

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:04:27 GMT

A campaign, Reading in Private Enterprises, was initiated recently by Propaganda Department, Industry and Commerce Bureau and Private Enterprises Association, which said that the association will cooperate with Ningbo Library to set up movable libraries. It is estimated that by November of the year, 50 enterprises will have their own libraries.

With Reading, Wisdom, Development as the theme of the campaign, books entrepreneurs love will be recommended so as to provide motive and support for upgrading of enterprises. The campaign will include Reading Nice Books, Exchange on Reading and Competition on Reading.

As required, to set up a library, an enterprise should have a reading room of 20 square meters, a good shelf, a paper and magazine shelf, reading tales and reading chairs. Besides, there should be a computer which has access to internet, a librarian, corresponding rules and at least more than 300 employees. An enterprise satisfying above-mentioned requisites can apply to Ningbo Library for a library. Private Enterprises Association and Ningbo Library will inspect the enterprise and give their suggestions and then the enterprise can set up Ningbo Movable Library.

Slipper Output of Xiaolin Ranks First in China

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:03:49 GMT

As usual, slipper makers begin to make shoes for winter use. Both large enterprises and small enterprises are busy with making shoes. Since the beginning of the month, about five or six containers of shoes have been sent to such supermarkets as RT Mart, Walmart and Carrefour.

Xiaolin begin to make shoes from 1980s. With the guidance of the local government and the support from agricultural banks, shoes makes have made great achievements. There are now more than 100 enterprises making shoes and more than 1600 families making shoes. 12 enterprises annually make shoes worth 20 million Yuan. The gross output has reached 300 million and annual production value 2 billion Yuan. Statistics shows that the output of shoes in Xiaolin ranks first in China.

With the quality improved, varieties increased and design refreshed, shoes made in Xiaolin begin to sell better and better. They sell shoes not only to domestic consumers but also to foreign consumers in more than 30 countries and regions. Such supermarkets as Walmart and Carrefour also introduce shoes made in Xiaolin.

Care shown for left-home-alone old folks

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:02:53 GMT

Showing respect for the elderly is a traditional virtue of Chinese nation. On August 28, a voluntary service campaign showing care for the old folks left home alone was held in Ningbo. In the Hehuazhuang Park of the Huachuan Community of Jiangdong, there are a queue of service stands set up, each with a long queue of people. The volunteers measure the blood pressure and test the blood sugar, check the eyes, ears and noses. They also repair electric appliances and provide legal services, too. The old folks say that these services are what they need badly. Some of the volunteers are medical workers in the community. They often provide health care services to those old people who stay home alone.

Liu Chunyan, a community worker, said, “On Tuesday afternoons, we measure their blood pressure. From Mondays to Thursdays, we draw blood, to check blood glucose and blood fat.”To enable the elderly people to see doctors, many stores nearby join in the voluntary team. With their help, the old people may just make a phone call if they need to repair home appliances or have a haircut. The community also arranges some activities to enrich the cultural life of the old people, such as drum and gong, yangge, calligraphy and painting, handicraft, and so on, so that they can have a happy sunset life. It is meant to engage them mentally. It can help them get to know each other and learn from each other.

We are told that Ningbo has got 30,000 volunteers who are caring for the old folks left home alone. Each community has got a volunteer team of more than 20 people. They help them with daily life, mental health, health care, emergency rescue, etc.

New Semester Begins, Burden Relieved

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:02:04 GMT

On the beginning of the new semester, primary school and high school students received a special gift. That is, their learning burden is relieved to some extent by the authorities. The education departments of the city made known a regulation that first-year and second-year pupils must not be given homework. For students of other grades, the homework should be controlled within one hour. For junior high students, the load should be within two hours

Dream Education Flies Children’s Dream

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:01:19 GMT

At 9 o’clock, September 1, many students are organized to watch the CCTV program The First Lesson of the New Semester. So, what is the First Lesson about? In Classroom 303 of the Lanjiang Primary School students are listening to the lecture My Dreams, China’s Dreams, given by heroes in their hearts. My Dreams, China’s Dreams is the theme of the First Lesson. The 100-minute program consists of four parts: My Dreams, Sticking to Dreams, Exploring Dreams and China’s Dreams. Yuan Longping, father of hybrid rice, Li Zhonghua, hero of test flight, Ma Yun, president of Alibaba, Jet Li, and Jackie Chan have joined in the shooting of the program. They tell their own self-made stories and their dream and their efforts they paid to realize their dreams. After listening to the stories, the students have their own dreams.

A student said, “I want to be an artist. Painting can make a person smell flowers all their lifetime, every minute of their life. ” Students in many other schools watch the program too. The experiences of the successful people made a good impression upon their mind. A student from Jujing School, Fenghua, said, “The person who impresses me most is Jackie Chan. His experiences tell us that there is nothing impossible. To realize dreams, you have to hang on and have confidence.”

Rainstorm Hit, People Rushed to Rescue

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:00:39 GMT

A heavy rainstorm drenched the city all over on the other day. Water flooded streets and even flowed into many households in low-flying areas. The Dahe Community of Jiangdong suffered most. When we come to the Dahe Lane in Jiangdong at 9:30, the rainstorm has subsided. But there is still a lot of flooding water in the low-flying areas. The water in the courtyards is even knee deep. Uncle Ying who is living on the ground floor says the rain is too heavy and the water quickly goes into his home.

Uncle Ying said, “The water comes up at 8:15. It comes so quickly that you find it hard to get out.” Similar to Uncle Ying’s house, many households on the ground floor are flooded. The residents have to move the refrigerators and washing machines onto some stools or move them outdoors in some high-lying places. Seeing the area is flooded, the community workers immediately contact the Chengguan personnel and the firemen. From 8 o’clock on, the firemen start to pump water out.

A community worker said, “The old residential buildings are in a low-lying area. Now it is tide rising and the sewers are saturated with water. So it makes water pumping difficult.” To remove the water as fast as possible, the firemen use pumps to pump the water into the catch basins of the main roads nearby.

Headquarters Economy Forum Held

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:00:02 GMT

A headquarters economy forum was held in Nanyuan Hotel on August 31. Vice mayor Yu Hongyi and Chen Jiaxian, the representative of Hong Kong Trade and Development Bureau, attended the forum and addressed speeches.

The forum was jointly sponsored by Ningbo Government and Hong Kong Trade and Development Bureau and Haishu District. It was the first comprehensive and high-level forum on headquarters economy held in Ningbo. The items discussed in the forum included economic reflection on economic reform, headquarters economy with the background of macro-economy, urban economic transformation, headquarters economy development in Ningbo and headquarters economy development in Haishu District. It is believed that the forum will bring new reflection and finally enhance rapid and steady economic development in Ningbo.

Young Entrepreneurs Met in Ningbo

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:59:23 GMT

August 31 saw The Forum on Innovation and Development jointly held by Ningbo Government, Hong Kong Trade and Development Bureau and assisted by Ningbo Youth League, Hong Kong Young Industrialists Association and Ningbo Young Industrialists Association. Vice secretary Tang Yijun addressed a speech.

The Forum on Innovation and Development was one of important parts of 2010 Ningbo-Hong Kong Economy Cooperation Forum. The Forum on Innovation and Development invited young industrialists to meet in Ningbo for the purpose of exchanging views on Power of Capital: Chances and Challenges in Post-crisis Times so that they could improve their ability of dealing with crisis and enhance their efforts in terms of mutual development.

Tang said that Ningbo and Hong Kong had a lot in common and enjoyed complementarities. There was great potential for further cooperation for both parties. Ningbo was now at the critical moment after the financial crisis and it was quite important and urgent to enhance the exchange and cooperation with Hong Kong so that they could obtain win-win situation with their own advantages. With this as background, Hong Kong needed Ningbo and Ningbo also needed Hong Kong. It was required by the time that both parties enhance their deep exchange and cooperation. The forum was in line with the common wish of parties in terms of mutual development and prosperity. Tang hoped that young industrialists from Ningbo and Hong Kong could take full advantage of the forum to enhance their exchange and arouse their inspiration so as to win a great prospect after the financial crisis. Tang also hoped that young industrialists from Ningbo and Hong Kong could enhance their cooperation in modern trade, modern logistics, finance, scien-tech and education so as to create a new situation in which mutual benefit and mutual development.

Children in Ningbo Set Reading Room in Yunnan

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:58:37 GMT

“Children in Ningbo helped us set a reading room and we have new books to read.” This is a piece of good news for more than 300 students at a primary school in Yuan receive at the first day of new term. The fact that the primary school sets a reading room means that the first reading room in the county appears.

“The history in which we have no reading rooms ends now; we can read more books like children in cities.” With excited and resonant voice, the headmaster of the school Li Hong said, “We will remember 15 pupils in Ningbo and love our reading room.”

Government Officials Met Guests from Austria

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:58:00 GMT

The delegation of Vienna, led by mayor Bernhard Mahler, arrived at Ningbo. Song Wei, Minister of Propaganda of Ningbo, met the delegation in Sheraton Hotel last night.

Vienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria and the smallest of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million, more than 25% of Austria's population), and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. It is the 10th largest city by population in the European Union. Vienna is host to many major international organizations such as the United Nations and OPEC. Art and culture have a long tradition in Vienna and has been noted for land of music.

Major tourist attractions include the imperial palaces of the Hofburg and Schönbrunn (also home to the world's oldest zoo, Tiergarten Schönbrunn) and the Riesenrad in the Prater. Cultural highlights include the Burgtheater, the Wiener Staatsoper, the Lipizzaner horses at the spanische Hofreitschule and the Vienna Boys' Choir, as well as excursions to Vienna's Heurigen district Döbling. There are also more than 100 art museums, which together attract over eight million visitors per year. The most popular ones are Albertina, Belvedere, Leopold Museum in the Museumsquartier, KunstHausWien, BA-CA Kunstforum, the twin Kunsthistorisches Museum and Naturhistorisches Museum, and the Technisches Museum Wien, each of which receives over a quarter of a million visitors per year. There are many popular sites associated with composers who lived in Vienna including Beethoven's various residences and grave at Central Cemetery which is the largest cemetery in Vienna and the burial site of many famous people. Vienna is also a city for international conferences. 147 conferences were held in 2006 here. Vienna has become a more welcome city for conference tan Singapore and Paris.

Investment from Hong Kong Doubled

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:57:28 GMT

Industry and Commerce Bureau of Ningbo says that the first half of the year saw an additional of 68 new investors from Hong Kong and new investment of 618.76 million USD, which makes Hong Kong the largest investor in the city.

Industry and Commerce Bureau of Ningbo also says that the first half of the year saw 176 investors and an investment of 0.774 billion USD and registered capital of 0.451 billion USD. Investment from Hong Kong accounts for four fifth of the investment, which means increases of 79% and 221% respectively over the same period of last year.

In recent years, Hong Kong has been the largest resource of investment. Last year, Hong Kong invested 0.932 billion USD, accounting for 76% of all the investment of the year. Fields which receive investment include logistics, hospitals and finance

Government Officials Met British Guests

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:56:55 GMT

Hua Changhui, vice chairman of PPCC in Ningbo, met the delegation led by Allan Clark, the vice chairman of British Parliament, in Howard Johnson Hotel on August 30.

The University of Nottingham is a comprehensive university consistently ranked among the top British universities. Our aim is to provide he finest possible environment for teaching, learning, and research. The latest World University League Table ranked the University of Nottingham 70th in the world. Our campuses are also considered to be amongst the most attractive in the country. The academic work of The University of Nottingham is organized into 31 schools, which are grouped into six faculties: Arts and Humanities; Education; Engineering; Law and Social Science (including the Nottingham University Business School); Medicine and Health Sciences (including the new Veterinary Medicine School) and Sciences (including Biosciences). The University offers a wide range of social, cultural and recreational facilities. Our Students’ Union provides extensive support , entertainment, clubs and societies, and opportunities to get involved in student life and the community.

The University of Nottingham consistently rates highly in terms of academic achievement. In the recent independent assessment by QAA, the University was awarded a rating of between 22 and 24 in a total of 39 subjects. The latest EAE confirmed The University of Nottingham’s position as a world class research-led institution. Over 60 per cent of the University’s RAE scores identified research as being of a level of international excellence. This achievement has helped put Nottingham within The Sunday Times top ten UK universities. The University was also awarded The Times Higher Education Institution of the Year 2006 and we were pleased to celebrate two Nobel Prizes in Economics and Medicine in 2003. Nottingham’s mission as a university is to sustain its acknowledged position in the leading group of research-led universities in the United Kingdom, and to complement this research excellence with the provision of learning environment that is second to none.

The delegation, which consisted of government officials and entrepreneurs, visited Ningbo for the purpose of a survey of social and economic development in Ningbo. Both parties will also discuss about future exchange and cooperation. They believe that, with the joint efforts, they will made achievement in terms of economy and culture.

Export Volume to Chile Reached 50 Million USD

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:56:22 GMT

Statistics shows that in the first 6 months, the export volume from Cixi to Chile reached 23.29 million USD, an increase of 75.9% over the same time of last year. The main export items included baby carriages, ironworks and electric irons. Among them, the export of ironworks increased by 395.8% over the same time of last year. 184 enterprises were involved in the export to Chile while 5 enterprises exported more than one million USD worth products. At the same time, the import from Chile reached 29.41 million USD, an increase of 298% over the same time of last year. The main imported products included copper, whole import volume reached 29.088 million USD, an increase of 322.2% over the same time of last year. Shengtai Electronics imported 15.82 million USD worth products, an increase of 252.4% over the same time of last year. Xiaomiao Cable Group imported 6.574 million USD worth products, an increase of 1645.5% over the same time of last year.

According to the agreement between China and Chile, both parties will open their markets in terms of computers, management and consultation, construction, engineering, mining and manufacturing on the basis of their commitment to WTO. For enterprises in Cixi, this will be great opportunity to develop markets in Latin America.

Service Industries Attracts Investors from Hong Kong

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:55:15 GMT

More than 20 service industrial items, including Hefeng Innovation Square, High-tech Business Area and South Yinzhou Business Area, were presented on Urban Service Cooperation Symposium, attracting attention of businessmen from Hong Kong. The symposium was one of most important parts of investment introduction of Ningbo.

These service industrial items cover not only those in central city, but also in counties around the city center. With the completion of these items, modern service industries, including modern logistics, business exposition, tourism, finance and insurance will be developed in Ningbo. Besides, not a few businessmen from Hong Kong were also interested in core areas along Dongqian Lake and other construction items.

On the symposium, Hong Kong Trade and Development Bureau and KBMG introduced the policy and procedure of investment in Hong Kong so that Ningbo entrepreneurs know more about investment in Hong Kong.

2010 Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Forum Held

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:54:44 GMT

Guests attending 2010 Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Forum met in Ningbo to discuss about further cooperation between Hong Kong and Ningbo. Ningbo government held a welcoming banquet and Mayor Mao Guanglie addressed a welcoming speech. Vice Mayor Wu Heming and other officials attended the banquet. Other attendants included Guo Li, the vice director of liaison office in Hong Kong, Zheng Yue’e, the director of Hong Kong Development Bureau and other officials from Hong Kong.

Mayor Mao Guanglie expressed welcome to guests on behalf of the government and thanked them for their care, support and help in the past years. He said that in the past eight years, both parties had exerted their utmost to push forward their previous monotonous economic trade to a higher level, deeper level and wider range in fields like sci-tech, education, culture and health care. The theme of the forum was closer to actual development and outcome showed more advantages for both parties. The theme of the forum was set as Taking Opportunity and Creating New Advantages. With accelerating urbanization as a focus, both parties were intending to give their advantages to full play and further their cooperation. While effectively upgrading their cooperation, Ningbo will speed up its urbanization and the development of modern service industry so as to promote prosperity in Hong Kong and Ningbo.

Mao said that Ningbo was now in the critical moment of transformation and upgrading and was now planning its 12th five-year plan. Ningbo was going to optimize its layout of urbanization and integral development for urban and suburban areas. Mao hoped that both parties will increase their communication and further their friendship, cooperation and planning. Mao also hoped that both parties will further their comprehensive cooperation in terms of modern finance, port logistics, headquarter economy, design, education and health care so that they could win a larger space and create a better atmosphere for development. The final purpose was to realize cooperation on the basis of mutual complementation and mutual benefit. Mao believed that with the efforts of both parties, the cooperation between them will definitely step into a stage and achieve new outcomes. More than 200 guests attended the banquet. It was said that there would be more than 1600 guest attending the forum.

Ningbo Ranks Sixth as Best International Image City

eckhard@cnool.net (Eckhard Goessl) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:53:54 GMT

Outlook Orient Weekly initiated a survey on Best International Image Cities. Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Xi’an, Changsha, Kunming and Changchun were listed as Best International Image Cities. The final score for Ningbo was rather close to Hangzhou, Chengdu and Nanjing.

Statistics shows that Ningbo ranks sixth in terms of international image; fifth in terms of internationalization while fourth in terms of internal transportation and individuality.

In terms of future competitive edge, Ningbo ranks first, ahead of Chongqing, Shanghai, Kunming and Changsha. The organizing committee says that they feel that Chinese cities are now paying more and more attention to their international images. The scientific survey and ranking will help these cities find their places during the process of internationalization. It is said that the awarding ceremony will be held in October in Nanjing.