Mayors from different countries gathered in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, for the main event of the 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue • Ningbo on Tuesday, sharing experience and jointly exploring paths of future high-quality city development.

Ningbo's Global Trade Reach

Sitting in the northeastern part of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo has actively integrated into the joint building of the Belt and Road Initiative in recent years and boasts extensive trade and investment ties with more than 220 countries and regions.

Wang Cheng, Party chief of Ningbo, said that through the dialogue event, Ningbo will continue to enhance advantage-based inter-city collaboration, exchanges and mutual learning to reinforce its opening-featuring business environment and innovation ecosystem.

Mayors Emphasize Cooperation

Cities, as pivotal carriers of economic globalization and windows for inter-civilization communication, always play a key role in open cooperation, economic development, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

  • Wayne Brown, mayor of Auckland, New Zealand, stressed that sci-tech transformation and globalization are issues of key concern for Auckland while introducing the city's advantages in geographical conditions and trade.
  • Said Karimi, mayor of Errachidia, Morocco, hoped to strengthen investment ties and communications with more cities across the world given Errachidia's rich tourism and ore resources.
  • Joachim Moyse, mayor of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, France, introduced the city's industrial history and expressed hope of jointly building a bridge of cooperation and communication with Ningbo.

Mayors from other countries also expressed hope of enhancing cooperation with Ningbo in fields such as education, culture and industry.

Ningbo's Partnerships Abroad

Shen Mingquan, mayor of Ningbo, said the city has solidified cooperation with many cities abroad in recent years, serving as a reliable partner for its foreign peers in win-win development. According to Shen, Ningbo has carried out sci-tech innovation cooperation with more than 100 countries and established partnerships with over 500 overseas universities.

Agreements Signed

During the event, agreements for 14 projects in trade, education and cultural sectors were signed. The Ningbo Consensus on Collaborative Development was also signed, aiming to deepen industrial coordination, foster connectivity and bolster exchanges in culture, education and healthcare.