Local authorities hold a launch ceremony for the national demonstration zone for network market supervision and services project on Sept 5 at the Ningbo E-commerce Economic Innovation Park. [Photo/ news.cnnb.com]

Ningbo is to establish a national demonstration zone for network market supervision and services, local authorities announced at a ceremony on Sept 5. 

The demonstration zone will be located in the Ningbo E-commerce Economic Innovation Park, Ningbo (International) E-commerce Industrial Park, and the Ningbo Free Trade Zone. 

It aims to create a favorable business climate for the network market by improving services and regulation while promoting the development of the city's network market.

The local government will release policies to support the e-commerce industry, expanding its scale and improving its quality, as well as strengthening industry regulation. 

This is the first demonstration zone of its kind to be built in China's municipalities that have independent planning status under national social and economic development.

China has five such municipalities, Ningbo, Dalian, Qingdao, Xiamen and Shenzhen, all of which enjoy provincial-level economic authority.

Ningbo has seen rapid growth in its network market in recent years. Its online retailing revenue reached 63.66 billion yuan ($9.31 billion) in the first half of 2018, up 27.7 percent year-on-year and three percent higher than the average provincial level.

Its cross-border e-commerce retailing imports ranked first nationwide during this period.

Inside a cross-border e-commerce warehouse in the Ningbo Free Trade Zone. [Photo/ news.cnnb.com]