The container terminal operations site at the Chuanshan Port Area of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. [Photo by Wu Mengkai/Yongpai App]

Trade between Ningbo and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) maintained steady growth in the first two months of the year.

According to Ningbo Customs, total trade with BRI partner countries reached 127.35 billion yuan ($18.52 billion) from January to February, up 9.3 percent year-on-year.

Exports alone surged 18.6 percent to 84.22 billion yuan, driven by strong demand from emerging markets such as Vietnam, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and Thailand, all of which recorded double-digit growth.

Key export categories included mechanical and electrical products, textiles, garments and plastic goods. At Cixi Forbaby Children's Product's factory, automated assembly lines are running at full capacity to prepare baby strollers for shipment to Poland. The company reported exports exceeding 24 million yuan during the period, up 7 percent, thanks to its strategy of tailoring products to local consumer needs.

On the import side, Indonesia, South Korea, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Saudi Arabia ranked among Ningbo's top trading partners. Major imports included copper, metal ores, organic chemicals, primary plastics and refined oil.

For local manufacturers, diversified sourcing from BRI countries has strengthened supply chain resilience and reduced costs through tariff benefits. Some firms are also expanding overseas, building production bases abroad to further integrate into global industrial chains and enhance resource allocation.