By Jin Lu

China Base Ningbo Group exemplifies the evolution of Ningbo's foreign trade from modest beginnings to significant prominence, mirroring the broader changes brought about by China's reform and opening up. As a leading foreign trade company in Ningbo and Zhejiang, China Base Ningbo Group has played a pivotal role in boosting China's domestic and international trade, while supporting the growth of its upstream and downstream partners.

Streamlining Global Reach for Chinese Manufacturing

Founded in 1985, China Base Ningbo Group Co., Ltd. has been active in bulk commodity trade for nearly 40 years, serving customers in almost 200 countries and regions. It ranks among the top three private businesses in bulk commodities nationwide and has consistently led Ningbo in import and export volume for many years.

Through continuous innovation and transformation, China Base has evolved into a major player with extensive reach along the value chain, integrating upstream and downstream resources to establish a comprehensive supply chain service system for bulk commodities. The company has successfully combined import, re-export, domestic distribution, and export under a single model, providing all-encompassing supply chain services such as financing, raw material import, strategic research, inventory management, and sales for Chinese factories. This approach addresses challenges faced by small and medium-sized factories, such as limited purchasing sources and weak bargaining power with foreign buyers, enhancing their risk management and sustainable growth.

China Base possesses extensive knowledge of export trade. In 2013, it launched the China Base Huitong Integrated Foreign Trade Service Platform, offering customs clearance, foreign currency exchange, export credit insurance, and logistics services to thousands of small and medium-sized import & export companies across China. By 2023, it had facilitated 8.8 billion yuan in financing and provided $1 million in free export credit insurance, covering $640 million in trade orders for SMEs.

In response to the shifting global trade landscape, China Base has expanded its services into cross-border e-commerce, offering supply chain management, warehousing, logistics, finance, product development, brand incubation, and digital transformation. Partnerships with platforms such as Yi Ya, eBay, and Kaishi have led to the creation of an auto parts procurement platform, simplifying the process for Chinese manufacturing and brands to expand globally.

Actively Embracing Change

Ying Xiuzhen, Vice President of China Base Ningbo Group and President of China Base Ningbo Foreign Trade Co., Ltd., is a well-established figure in Ningbo's import and export industry. Often referred to as "the queen of Ningbo's import and export business scene", she has played a key role in China's global trade development.

In recent years, Ying has traveled extensively to countries including Mexico, Chile, Bulgaria, Poland, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. These visits—attending exhibitions, engaging in negotiations, and conducting market research—have driven China Base's international reach. Following her research in Saudi Arabia, the company opened two stores in the country, specializing in Chinese building materials, and is now handling significant order volumes, with a $3 million deal expected soon.

Ying emphasizes that, as a foreign trade platform, China Base must not only support SMEs but also expand export channels for everyone and ensure a steady flow of quality Chinese goods into international markets. To adapt to changing times, the company established a cross-border e-commerce service platform that leverages advanced technologies, including the metaverse, to overcome the limitations of traditional online communication and promote products globally more effectively.

Thus, China Base Ningbo Foreign Trade has grown from a simple 1.0 platform focused solely on exports into a comprehensive foreign trade hub that integrates services like cross-border e-commerce, finance, logistics, overseas warehousing, exhibition support, and digital marketing. This transformation has positioned the company at the forefront of China's international trade.

From Domestic to Global

Since 2020, China Base has collaborated with major state-owned enterprises to form five mixed-ownership companies. In 2023, these joint ventures achieved 25 billion yuan in revenue, marking a 48% year-on-year growth.

China Base has also been a significant player in the automotive industry for over two decades. Since 2018, the company has expanded into the used car market, building a comprehensive trading system through both online and offline channels. It established Ningbo's first used car live-streaming e-commerce base, with annual revenues nearing 800 million yuan, making it the largest used car sales operation in the city.

China Base now has overseas warehouses in Dubai, while accelerating its market expansion in Central Asia, the Middle East, North America, and Europe, exporting second-hand cars worldwide.

"2024 will be a challenging year, filled with both risks and opportunities. We are confident in making China Base stronger, larger, and more resilient, while providing better services to our upstream and downstream partners and contributing further to Ningbo's economic development," said Zhou Jule, Chairman of China Base Ningbo Group.