Eighteen projects worth 12.84 billion yuan ($1.86 billion) were signed during the 2017 China (Ningbo) Cultural Industries Fair, which concluded on April 17. The four-day fair attracted more than 190,000 people, up 20 percent year-on-year. Its turnover increased by 40 percent year-on-year and reached 378 million yuan. More than 1,200 enterprises from over 200 domestic and foreign delegations took part.

This fair is designed to promote characteristic Zhejiang-based cultural industry projects and establish platforms for product trading.

Various cultural and creative products were presented during the fair, including some derived from the Palace Museum and cutting-edge cultural and creative technologies from Silicon Valley companies.

Ningbo considers the cultural and creative field to be a breakthrough opportunity to upgrade its traditional industries. The fair had attracted projects and talents from the countries along the Belt and Road Initiative to seek multilateral cooperation.

In recent years, Ningbo has actively introduced cultural and creative enterprises and cultivated platforms for them. The cultural industry has integrated itself with manufacturing, tourism, technology and financial services.

During the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15), the industry's output in Ningbo grew on average at an annual rate at 13.5 percent. In 2016, it totaled 58.6 billion yuan, 6.9 percent of Ningbo's GDP.