An important government conference aimed at promoting further integrated development between Ningbo and its neighbor Zhoushan was held in Ningbo on Aug 16.

The conference witnessed the signing of 22 contracts in key sectors including the rail industry between the two cities.

Zheng Shanjie, Party chief of Ningbo, said that his city and Zhoushan were closely linked in terms of geographical location, culture and trade and he called for more efforts to deepen bilateral relations between the two metropolises.

Officials said Ningbo Zhoushan Port is the epitome of the two cities' efforts in pursuing integrated development.

The port, under the jurisdiction of Ningbo and Zhoushan, has now grown to be China's busiest port.

Last year the port reported annual cargo throughput of over 1 billion tonnes for a second straight year, making it the only one in the world to exceed the 1-billion-tonne level. Its annual container throughput exceeded 26 million standard containers in 2018, ranking it on that level among the top three ports in the world.

In the first half of this year, it saw cargo throughput rise 5.5 percent year-on-year to 557.96 million tons.

An important government conference is held in Ningbo on Aug 16. It aims to promote further integrated development between Ningbo and its neighbor, Zhoushan. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]