A domestic service robot displayed at the Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Innovation Center. [Photo/Yongpai App]

More than 50 journalists from national and provincial media outlets visited Ningbo from July 27 to 29, discovering how the city is relying on scientific innovation to boost industries.

Over three days, the media delegation toured leading innovation hubs including Yongjiang Laboratory, Yongxin Optics, and the Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Innovation Center.

At Yongjiang Laboratory, reporters noted how the lab’s advanced materials research has already reached world-leading levels. The visit highlighted Ningbo's growing network of high-level innovation platforms, which has helped the city rank among the world's top 100 innovation clusters.

The delegation also visited Yongxin Optics, a national manufacturing champion whose optical technologies supported China's Chang'e-4 lunar mission. The company reflects Ningbo's strategy of driving technological innovation through practical industrial applications.

At the Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, journalists witnessed embodied AI in action, from intelligent retail assistants to robotic chefs. Ningbo has cultivated 95 robotics enterprises above designated size and established demonstration production lines that integrate humanoid robots into manufacturing.

Reporters concluded that Ningbo's success lies in its long-term commitment to core technologies, advanced manufacturing, and innovation driven by real-world applications. By strengthening research, expanding real-world AI use cases, and deepening collaboration across the Yangtze River Delta, the city is building a strong innovation ecosystem where research is rapidly translated into industrial applications.