6.86 Billion Yuan and Counting: Charting the Next Chapter for Ningbo and Slovakia

 

 

The China (Ningbo)-Slovakia Investment and Trade Cooperation Exchange Event in Full Swing [Image provided by the Bureau of Commerce in Ningbo]

 

 

"Slovakia is the world's leader in per capita car production, turning out more than a million vehicles a year. We've got major players like Volkswagen and Volvo with factories here..."Speaking in fluent Chinese at CEEC Products Permanent Pavilion on March 10, Meng Fei, the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency’s Representative in China, painted a vivid picture of this "nation on wheels" for local entrepreneurs in Ningbo.

The China (Ningbo)-Slovakia Investment and Trade Cooperation Exchange Event brought together 120 government and business representatives from Ningbo and Slovakia. A quick scan of the attendee list revealed Ningbo's industrial muscle: a solid core of manufacturing companies, complemented by emerging players in fields like the metaverse, new energy, the low-altitude economy, and medical devices.

Xu Xiaochang, Deputy Secretary-General of the Ningbo Municipal Government, highlighted Ningbo's position as a major advanced manufacturing base in China, pointing to its competitive clusters in new materials, high-end equipment, and new energy. These strengths, he noted, create strong complementarities with Slovakia's industrial sectors, offering vast potential for collaboration.

The numbers bear this out. In 2025, total trade between Ningbo and Slovakia reached 6.86 billion yuan, with imports from Slovakia hitting 4.95 billion yuan, accounting for more than half of the city’s total imports from all Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs). The momentum underscores the steady upward trajectory of bilateral economic ties.

 

 

Milan Lajčiak, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the People’s Republic of China, delivers a speech at the Event [Image provided by the Bureau of Commerce in Ningbo]

 

 

Milan Lajčiak, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the People’s Republic of China, highlighted Ningbo's strategic role as a key gateway for Slovak products entering the Chinese market. He pointed to the city's unique advantages, which are underpinned by the well-connected Ningbo-Zhoushan Port (one of the world's busiest ports) and supported by a strong track record in integrating industry and logistics, as well as competitive strengths in international shipping, logistics, and foreign trade.

The Ambassador reaffirmed Slovakia's commitment to deepening economic ties with Ningbo. He stated that Slovakia is ready to leverage its investment and trade promotion agencies to deepen collaboration in new energy, auto parts, high-end equipment, and medical devices, helping quality projects materialize and deliver results through platforms such as the China-CEEC Expo.

 

 

Meng Fei, the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency’s Representative in China, delivers a presentation at the Event. [Image provided by the Bureau of Commerce in Ningbo]

 

 

During his presentation, Meng Fei elaborated on Slovakia's investment environment. He noted, positioned in the heart of Europe, the country boasts a well-developed transport network that can deliver goods from its capital, Bratislava, to major European markets in just two days. Beyond that, he pointed to the country's pool of highly skilled professionals in technology, engineering, medicine, and electrical engineering.

"More than 80 Chinese companies have already set up operations in Slovakia, making it their beachhead into the European market," Meng said, extending an invitation to Ningbo businesses. "We highly value cooperation with China and look forward to seeing more R&D projects as well as technological collaborations take root and flourish here."

CTP Invest, a seasoned developer and operator of industrial parks in Central and Eastern Europe, shared its hands-on experience, offering Ningbo companies a practical "playbook" for going global.

During the business matchmaking session, numerous Ningbo companies expressed strong interest in investing in Slovakia.

Zhang Wenfeng, Chairman of the Senchu Energy Co., Ltd., noted following the event that Slovakia has a solid foundation in the energy sector, particularly its early move into nuclear and other clean energy sources, which has given the country strong technological expertise and significant growth potential.

"Europe is pushing hard on Industry 4.0 and digital transformation, and their commitment to reshaping the energy mix is crystal clear. That opens a window of opportunity for us,"saidZhang.In addition, he expressed his hope to partner with established local firms in Slovakia, offering capital, technology, and a shared commitment to making projects a reality on the ground.

Zhu Liang, a representative of Zhejiang Datacenter Data&technology Co., Ltd, saw a different but equally compelling opportunity. He noted that Slovakia's automotive and telecom clusters, combined with its relatively low electricity costs, make the country an attractive location for a data center project his company is planning to serve the European market.

Fang Yu, General Manager of Ningbo Huaou International Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd., has witnessed the deepening ties between China and Slovakia firsthand. In fact, as a former teacher at the Confucius Institute in Slovakia, she has successfully introduced Slovak products such as Matyšák grape juice, a product that has been named among Ningbo’s “Top 10 Favorite Consumer Goods in Central and Eastern Europe” for multiple years,to the Chinese market.

Today, Fang has transitioned from educator to entrepreneur, but her mission as a bridge between the two cultures remains unchanged. Having organized numerous exchange visits between Chinese and Slovak companies, she is committed to building a two-way street for economic and trade ties. At the event, she was a familiar presence, moving seamlessly between business representatives from both countries and facilitating round after round of follow-up meetings.

By the end of the session, many Ningbo companies had already scheduled follow-up talks with their Slovak counterparts, as the atmosphere grew increasingly animated around investment cooperation, technology exchange, and industrial matchmaking.

The exchange event was more than just a vibrant follow-up to the fourth China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair. It marked the latest chapter in a deepening relationship between Ningbo and Slovakia, where manufacturing strength in Ningbo meets "Slovak Speed" and a new story of industrial synergy and mutual benefit is being written across two ends of Eurasia.

 

 

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