Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province, reaches a strategic agreement with Zhejiang University, on Aug 1. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province, signed a cooperation agreement with Zhejiang University (ZJU), one of the leading Chinese universities, on Aug 1, to establish five ZJU afflicted research institutes in the city.

Zheng Shanjie, Party secretary of Ningbo, and Zou Xiaodong, secretary of Party committee of ZJU attended the signing ceremony.

According to the agreement, the institutes will serve as a platform to bring in high-caliber innovative talents in the areas of high-end equipment, information technology and new energy technology, in an effort to give a boost to the development of relevant industries in Ningbo.

Though Ningbo enjoys a competitive edge in the port and manufacturing industries, it is short of resources in research institutes, said Zheng, who hoped that the these agencies can provide a strong backup for Ningbo's economic growth by taking advantage of ZJU's quality teaching resources and educators.

Zou acclaimed Ningbo's efforts in scientific and technological innovation and talent cultivation. He said that the establishment of the joint ventures is a top priority for ZJU, who is striving to build itself into a world top-class university.

Since 2001, Ningbo has established an extensive strategic partnership with ZJU and jointly built a batch of colleges and innovative research institutes, including the Robotics Institute of Zhejiang University.