The China-Central Asia Business Cooperation Meeting was held in Cixi, a county-level city of Ningbo on July 4.

It brought together over 100 participants from Central Asian consulates, business associations and Chinese foreign trade companies to foster regional economic cooperation.

Rakhmanov Khamidjon, consul at the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Shanghai, noted his country's strategic location and commitment to modernizing its logistics infrastructure, including the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project.

He welcomed international investment, highlighting Uzbekistan's abundant resources and growing workforce.

A representative of Kyrgyzstan, called Alondra, emphasized policy reforms to attract foreign businesses — such as tax incentives and expedited urban development permits. "We look forward to new partnerships with Chinese companies," she said.

Cixi boasted a gross domestic product of 292.86 billion yuan ($40.83 billion) in 2024 and a robust private sector. During the event, over 100 local companies in appliances, electronics and textiles engaged with their Central Asian counterparts, securing intended orders worth 30 million yuan.

From January to May, Ningbo's trade with five Central Asian countries reached 2.89 billion yuan, up 21.6 percent year-on-year. Cixi's appliance exports alone surpassed 100 million yuan, surging 66.7 percent.

Yan Weiguo, head of the Ningbo Committee of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said that the city's businesses had invested nearly $300 million in Central Asia to date. With 29 Central Asian enterprises now based in the city, Ningbo is continuing to strengthen its mutual cooperation.