Huang Tao (right), chairman of Ningbo Congyue Technology Innovation Co Ltd, attends 2025 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. the United States. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]

With a packed schedule of global trade fairs and factories running at full speed, the foreign trade sector of Ningbo, Zhejiang province, is off to a strong start in 2025.

The city recorded an annual import-export volume of 1.42 trillion yuan ($195 billion) in 2024, ranking among China's top five trading cities for the first time. For Ningbo's exporters, the new year has brought many overseas expansions.

"We set off with confidence and returned with results," said Shen Weixin, general manager of Ningbo Jumu Lighting Electrical Appliance Co Ltd, who secured a 30,000-unit trial order from a British retailer during a trade fair in Birmingham, "Our production is now fully booked through September, and we expect a 20 percent increase in annual exports."

At the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Ningbo Congyue Technology Innovation Co Ltd made its debut with a multi-functional air pump and a 250-watt portable charger. Through product demonstrations and influencer marketing, the company attracted millions of online views and secured nearly 20 major buyers on-site in the first day.

"This was a breakthrough moment for our global branding," said Huang Tao, the company's chairman.

Back home, Ningbo's factories are in full swing. Ningbo Donghai Group Co Ltd is ramping up production of 20,000 high-precision water meters for Belgium, operating 24 hours a day to meet demand.

Ningbo Ruyi Co Ltd is creating a high-tech intelligent manufacturing facility with an annual production capacity of 300,000 units of hydrogen-powered forklifts, intelligent automated guided vehicles, and omnidirectional mobile robots. The project, part of a provincial-level key industrial initiative, is expected to generate an annual output value of 20 billion yuan.