Jin Yadong, president of Ningbo Solartron Technology Co Ltd and a delegate to the 15th Ningbo Municipal People's Congress, said that technological innovation is the most effective weapon against external shocks, and called for efforts to strengthen cooperation with global companies. 

He said that China's status as a manufacturing powerhouse will become stronger despite the impact on global manufacturing caused by the pandemic.

Echoing Jin, Xu Sutao, president of the Ningbo New Economy Research Institute, said that enterprises may face uncertainties due to the outbreak's impact on global supply chains in the short term, but in the long term the crisis can be turned into an opportunity to transform current trade patterns.

Xu, who is also a delegate to the city's top legislative body, discussed cross-border e-commerce as well.

Official statistics show that in the first quarter, imports and exports related to cross-border e-commerce in Ningbo were valued at 29.64 billion yuan ($4.29 billion), a yearly uptick of 2.1 percent.