Under the gardenia flowers, the first Ningbo Chamber of Commerce Conference unveils three industrial opportunity lists

From July 24 to 25, the inaugural Ning Business Conference kicked off. Since its establishment as a city, Ningxiang has for the first time used the highest municipal 规格 (specification) to invite Chuwei local worthies, industrial entrepreneurs, and chamber of commerce representatives scattered across the globe back to the same venue.

Why invite global wanderers with such solemnity? Because Ningxiang possesses a "family tree" of Ning businessmen that records their honors and unbreakable ties to their homeland:

The "Zhangzi Guests" who emerged from Laoliangcang have become a hundred-billion-level business group in China's national jewelry terminal market. A batch of Ningxiang bosses' construction machinery enterprises are rooted at engineering sites in Africa. In Ningxiang chambers of commerce nationwide and even globally, a batch of industrial legions are sharpening their skills.

Ning businessmen have long traveled the world. Yet perhaps even people in Changsha, just a few dozen minutes away by car, still view Ningxiang through the lens of flower pigs, hot springs, and the Four-Ram Square Zun. For Ning businessmen far away who remember their hometown through sentiment, this "cognitive time lag" runs even deeper. The Ning Business Conference aims to bridge this gap—what Ning businessmen miss is opportunity, and what Ningxiang misses is resources. It seeks to open its arms to those who understand and need its most precious "invisible assets."

I. Years of investment promotion: "Seeds have bloomed," Ningxiang now has the foundation for industrial breakthrough

When a city hosts a conference, the greatest fear is that when guests return, what is served does not suit their tastes. But Ningxiang dares to host it because its foundation is rich enough. In the past, returning home was about returning in glory; today, it is about taking one's rightful seat.

The foundation must first be viewed in terms of volume. Ningxiang has ranked among the top 100 counties in China's county-level economy for many consecutive years. In 2025, its regional GDP reached 147.446 billion yuan, ranking 14th nationally and 3rd in Central China in basic competitiveness of county-level economies. Over 1,700 enterprises are rooted here, nurturing 5 local listed companies and 5 enterprises with output values exceeding 10 billion yuan. Eight Fortune Global 500 companies and 81 listed companies have established themselves here.

This industrial terrain map was dug out pickaxe by pickaxe through years of investment promotion: Planned investment promotion first conceptualizes projects; industrial chain investment promotion finds enterprises along gaps; "Three Friends Investment Promotion" mobilizes the networks of fellow townsmen, alumni, and comrades-in-arms; "Alumni Returning to Hunan" connects university resources; and the "Transplanting Seedlings Plan" brings back seedlings grown elsewhere to the local soil.

Behind different strategies lies the same logic—investment promotion is not about luck, but about gradually unlocking the interlocking chains of industry. Thus, beyond volume, Ningxiang's industrial structure has always been the core focus of external attention.

Advanced energy storage materials are the most typical part. From cathode precursors, anode materials, separators, and electrolytes, to battery cells and Pack, to waste battery recycling, Ningxiang has pieced together a complete closed loop within tens of square kilometers—CNGR New Material's ternary precursors are handed over to clients right here, and BYD Battery's "Blade Batteries" had already determined their destination before rolling off the production line.

In 2025, the output value of this industrial chain reached 68.6 billion yuan, leading the industry, giving rise to the saying, "In the South there is Ningde, in the Center there is Ningxiang."

And construction machinery, possessing the temperament of a "magic needle calming the sea," serves as another industrial "backbone."

Among the top 50 global construction machinery manufacturers, Changsha holds five seats, while Ningxiang Economic and Technological Development Zone 独占 (exclusively occupies) two. Sany Heavy Industry's lifting equipment, which settled in 2009 with an annual output value of only 1.5 billion yuan, is now the world's largest manufacturing base for wheeled cranes. Xingbang Intelligent rose five spots on the Yellow Table list this year to rank 44th.

On the niche track of mining machinery, Ningxiang has constructed a closed-loop industrial ecosystem of "wear-resistant materials - core components - main host equipment - equipment leasing and O&M - overall mine operation." Its core products are exported to over 80 countries, with a local matching rate exceeding 70%—a place that produces no ore has forcefully grown a provincial characteristic industrial cluster with an output value nearing 10 billion yuan out of nothing.

The rooting of foreign giants also has samples: Gree has cumulatively invested 10 billion yuan in Ningxiang, building a full industrial chain closed loop with an annual output value exceeding 10 billion yuan. The Ningxiang base is now its comprehensive production base with the widest range of product categories, highest level of R&D innovation, and intelligence level outside its Zhuhai headquarters.

Grown locally, aggregated along the chain, rooted from afar—these three paths demonstrate Ningxiang's "capacity." Viewed against the backdrop of the opening of the "15th Five-Year Plan," there are now over 60 counties and county-level cities in China with a GDP exceeding 100 billion yuan. Beyond scale, the content of competition among county-level regions is shifting from total volume to the completeness of the chain and the density of collaboration between enterprises.

Currently, what Ningxiang lacks is no longer more enterprise quantity, but denser industrial supporting facilities, more R&D platforms, more professional services, wider overseas channels, and sufficient sci-tech innovation talent. The inaugural Ning Business Conference invites global Ning businessmen back precisely to share these resources face-to-face and gather new strength.

II. What lies beneath the gardenia? Three special sessions mean three lists of opportunities

A single gardenia flower packs industry, agriculture, urban life, and cultural tourism into the same Ningxiang narrative. Sentiment calls, but the solution upon return requires a list. Within the conference's "1+3+N" model, the three industrial special sessions are the three lists spread out by Ningxiang.

The industrial session targets strengthening and supplementing the chain in advanced manufacturing. Ningxiang's energy storage chain is already complete, but complete does not mean sturdy: R&D teams for next-generation battery technologies, testing and certification for chain links, equipment upgrades, and precision supporting parts are all positions that need "newcomers" to fill. For manufacturing practitioners among Ning businessmen, the opportunity may not necessarily be building another large factory, but could be a R&D center, a supporting production line, or a specialized institution serving enterprises on the service chain.

Industrial laws tell us that the more complete the chain, the easier it is for those filling gaps to do business—because the customers are right next door. For example, Shengxing Technology, which "settled down" in Ningxiang late last year, took only 68 days from signing to commencement for a large-capacity battery cell project. They were attracted by the "perfect upstream and downstream industrial chain, allowing for chain supplementation and strengthening." After full production, the expected annual output value will exceed 30 billion yuan. "Complementarity" is mutual benefit.

The agricultural session seeks incremental growth in deep processing, brands, and channels. Ningxiang Flower Pigs and Weishan Maojian tea are geographical indication products, and the gardenia itself is a crop with both medicinal and food origins. While they can be grown and raised well, they have long been stuck in the stage of selling raw materials. Deep processing requires technology, brands require patience, and channels require connections—these three things happen to be held tightly by Ning businessmen working outside. A person from Ningxiang doing supermarket procurement on the coast might bring more value to his hometown's agricultural products than a cash investment, because he can circulate the goods.

The Jinzhou New City and Cultural Tourism Session undertakes headquarters economy, talent services, cultural tourism consumption, and urban functions. Anchored on "building a sub-center of the provincial capital and advancing into the national top ten," Jinzhou New City is the window connecting eastward to Changsha's main urban area: How to supplement urban functions, where talents will live, and where consumption will stay are all blanks waiting to be filled.

On the cultural tourism end, the Four-Ram Square Zun was unearthed in Tanhe Ancient City. Fantawild Oriental Heritage and Huitang Hot Springs attract massive numbers of tourists annually. Weishan guards two resources: summer retreats and Zen tea. To make tourists stay one more night and experience one more day after arrival, operators who better understand the market are needed to take up the challenge.

Behind the three lists, Ningxiang is broadening the definition of "return"—cooperation based solely on emotion cannot go far, and cooperation based solely on interest cannot enter; lowering one's posture slightly makes relationships last longer. While funds and projects are certainly beneficial, long-term elements such as technology, teams, orders, channels, and overseas resources are even more eye-catching labels for "Ningxiang Partners."

How to serve these "partners" well? First is the already formed industrial foundation, ensuring Ning businessmen have projects to invest in upon return, rather than returning home to do charity; second is the investment promotion service mechanism accumulated over years, enabling cooperation to move from the conference hall to the production line, rather than stopping at the signing table; third is a more open mode of participation, allowing them to bring projects back, set up R&D centers, bring technical teams, or help hometown enterprises open up markets.

Let people come back first, then let cooperation grow naturally. What Ningxiang cares about is a harmonious symbiotic relationship.

III. Blooming flowers are invitations, walking together is the answer, turning sentiment into long-term productive force

The gardenia is a natural metaphor: it blooms once a year, filling the city with fragrance when in bloom, and leaving branches quiet after fading. Just as if the conference only stopped at reminiscing, Ningxiang after the dispersal would be no different from before.

Therefore, the blooming of flowers in this conference is merely an invitation. A letter from the hometown contains the sentiment of the Chuwei land, but also the industrial opportunities spread out by a county-level city with a hundred-billion-level economy.

Beyond the high-specification keynote conference, three vertical special sessions cut the matchmaking to specific tracks. After the meeting, a global Ning businessman resource information database will be built to regularly follow up on the matchmaking, landing, and resource sharing of intended projects. Gathering sentiment for a moment, planning for long-term development—the conference truly aims to establish a channel for routine matchmaking between Ning businessmen inside and outside the country and Ningxiang's industries. As long as the channel exists, gardenias will bloom every year, and Ning businessmen will have reasons to return every year; if the channel breaks, even the strongest sentiment will remain only as a round of applause.

Of course, bringing people back relies on sentiment, but keeping them relies on the ecosystem. The business reputation Ningxiang has accumulated over these years is the trump card of this invitation—"responsive to every request" shows sincerity, and "disturbing nothing unless necessary" demonstrates capability.

Ningxiang innovatively launched the "Ningju · Four Ones" enterprise assistance action: An online direct train for Party Secretaries to enterprises, achieving "scan the code, handle immediately," cumulatively resolving 124 issues; an offline Mayor's Enterprise Reception Day held regularly on the 21st of each month, addressing one type of issue per session, with 57 sessions organized so far; an exclusive "Ningju Voice" symposium, innovatively launching a symposium where "only enterprises participate, departments are absent"; and a "Five Full Coverages" enterprise liaison service team, arranging thousands of cadres to contact 1,744 enterprises, resolving 95 issues this year and fulfilling funds totaling 24.73 million yuan. There is also the "27 Articles for Private Economy," with the government consistently adhering to "responsive to every request, disturbing nothing unless necessary," escorting enterprise development throughout its entire lifecycle.

Preferral policies can be replicated everywhere, but heartfelt, long-term, and effectively implemented services are difficult to imitate. Ningxiang's core competitiveness has never been simple subsidies, but a service mindset that always solves problems from the perspective of entrepreneurs.

More importantly, this conference for the first time placed entrepreneurs scattered across different regions and industries under the same identity. Ningxiang has thought very broadly about the boundaries of "Ning Businessmen":

It is not only those of Ningxiang household registration who count; anyone who studied, worked, invested, or shed sweat in Ningxiang counts—Ning businessmen are judged not by household registration but by fate and closeness. Ningxiang's resources and conditions are equally open to them.

As Dong Mingzhu, Chairman of Gree Electric Appliances, said at today's conference: "Regardless of where we come from, since we are attending this conference today, we are people of Ningxiang."

This is not mere politeness, but openness grounded in modern commercial mechanisms. The titles of Zhejiang merchants and Fujian merchants are valuable not because of how many billionaires they produce, but because of the commercial network of mutual recognition, guarantee, and introduction. For "Ning Businessmen" to become a business card recognizable by the outside world, it relies not on the excitement of one conference, but on the continuous intersections generated outside the list.

In the second half of county-level competition, the gap in hardware conditions such as land and taxes continues to narrow. What truly widens the gap is interpersonal resources, industrial ecology, and urban sense of belonging. Ning businessmen are distributed globally, which happens to be Ningxiang's unique and unreplicable core asset.

After the conference disperses, the update of cognition has just begun. Gardenia blooming was once the season of parting—students traveling far, wanderers venturing out. From now on, it can also be the season of return.