Ningbo, Zhoushan seek closer ties

A view of Meishan port in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

Ningbo and its neighboring island city of Zhoushan recently unveiled 42 tasks for this year to further promote integrated development.

The tasks are categorized into six aspects: facilitating the construction of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Integrated Cooperation Pilot Zone, promoting the interconnectivity of infrastructure, improving the coordinated development of industrial innovation, advancing the sharing of public services, strengthening coordination in social governance, and pushing ahead with opening-up.

In terms of infrastructure interconnectivity, the two cities will strive to submit plans of the Ningbo-Zhoushan railway line and speed up the building of container terminals at Meishan port and Dapukou port.

As for industrial innovation, Ningbo and Zhoushan will promote the sharing of science and technology resources, work together to build a platform for the integrated development of talents, strengthen the coordination between upstream and downstream enterprises of industrial chains in the two cities, and enhance the integrated development of shipping, financial and other services. 

In terms of public services, the two will further promote integration in fields including medical care, education, senior care, social security, culture and tourism.

Zhoushan is an island city located 86.1 kilometers from Ningbo. It takes around 90 minutes by car to travel between the two cities.

According to an action plan released in August 2019, the integrated development of the two cities should see substantial progress by 2025.