From the coast of the East China Sea to the banks of the Rhine River: Ningbo writes a new footnote to Sino German economic and trade relations

Ningbo Customs officers provide clearance and Q&A services, guiding enterprises to declare in a standardized manner. Photo by Fu Yichun

As an open gateway and manufacturing powerhouse, Ningbo's cooperation with Germany is becoming increasingly clear. According to statistics from Ningbo Customs, in 2025, Ningbo Port will import and export 96.79 billion yuan to Germany, a year-on-year increase of 14.2%; Among them, exports amounted to 86.12 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 15.9%, while imports amounted to 10.68 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 1.9%.
In the Ningbo Free Trade Zone, cross-border e-commerce channels are bringing German quality into millions of households in China. Youyiyoubei (Ningbo) E-Commerce Co., Ltd. accurately grasps the high confidence of domestic consumers in the safety and effectiveness of German original beauty products, and continues to introduce star products such as original facial mask that have been certified by German authoritative testing institutions and sold simultaneously in German pharmacies. The credibility of German manufacturing and the efficiency of cross-border e-commerce have formed a synergy, providing fertile ground for the growth of German beauty brands in China. By 2025, our total import of German beauty products will exceed 13 million yuan, an increase of 151.1%, which also reflects the warm response between high-quality imported goods and domestic demand
At the same time, Ningbo Manufacturing is using its hardcore strength to open the door to the high-end consumer market in Germany. According to statistics from Ningbo Customs, in 2025, Ningbo Port will export 86.12 billion yuan to Germany, an increase of 15.9% year-on-year. Among them, the export growth rates of sports goods and equipment, clothing and clothing accessories, and mechanical and electrical products are significant, reaching 50.2%, 23.1%, and 19.2% respectively.
Ningbo Hongxie Automotive Parts Import and Export Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Ningbo Hongxie") focuses on the research and export of automotive parts, and is a typical representative of Ningbo's manufacturing industry deeply cultivating the German market and connecting with the high-end industrial chain in Europe. By 2025, Ningbo Hongxie will export over 140 million yuan worth of automotive parts to Germany, providing long-term supply to several well-known German enterprises with stable quality.
We have been deeply involved in Sino German trade for many years, winning market recognition with intelligent manufacturing, "said the person in charge of Ningbo Hongxie
From new beauty products on the banks of the Rhine River to precision components on the coast of the East China Sea, the economic and trade cooperation between Ningbo and Germany has gone beyond simple commodity flow, moving towards a deep coupling of technology, standards, and markets. We not only need to 'control' enterprises, but also find ways to make them 'run fast'. Ningbo Customs has created a 'friendly and clear through train, enterprise needs and customs response' mechanism to assist enterprise development, launched the '36 plans' to support the construction of a high-level open and strong province, issued 20 measures for cross-border trade facilitation special actions, guided enterprises to familiarize themselves with international economic and trade rules, promoted policies' direct and fast enjoyment', and supported enterprises to better explore the German market, "said Ye Hanyan, head of the Statistical Analysis Department of Haishu Customs under Ningbo Customs.
Standing at a new starting point of Sino German relations, Ningbo will continue to adopt an open attitude, deepen and implement industrial synergy with Germany and Europe, inject more local momentum into the high-quality development of Sino German economic and trade relations, and write more pragmatic chapters of mutual benefit and win-win results.