11 June: A workshop on Dual Circulation and New Economic Development, and the Awarding Ceremony for Ningbo Research Base on Dual Circulation and Economic Development (hereinafter referred to as "the Research Base") were held at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC).

The Research Base is on the fifth round list of Ningbo Social Science Research Bases, mainly conducting research in four areas including cross-border trade, innovation and entrepreneurship, digital economy, and supply chain management. It will cooperate with universities and research institutions at home and abroad and give full play to the strength of advantageous disciplines, focusing on the development difficulties of Ningbo under the "Dual Circulation" development pattern, to promote the high-quality development of the city. So far, the Research Base has carried out seven projects.

Professor Patrick Chau, Vice Provost of UNNC, will be the director of the Research Base and Professor Martin Liu, expert in marketing and innovation, will become its Chief Expert.

Fang Xu, the Dean, President, and Party Secretary of Ningbo Social Science Academy (Federation of Societies and Social Science), attended the ceremony and workshop, and congratulated the Research Base on its launch. He hopes that the University will be a role model in public service, communications and knowledge exchange, taking advantage of the unique resources of UNNC.

Xiong Ying, Party Secretary of UNNC, shared that the Research Base has recruited a number of high-level and experienced scholars. The Research Base will contribute to the construction of high-quality government think tanks through high-level research under the guidance and support of the Ningbo Academy of Social Sciences, and explore the innovative breakthrough of integrating into the double circulation.

Professor Chau illustrated in his speech that this Research Base reflects the commitment to the exchange of knowledge and impact to enrich policymaking. "We aim at gathering the research power of the Chinese and Western elite to study and analyze the seven topics regarding the opportunities and challenges of the development of Ningbo, especially under the dual-circulation development paradigm."

Zhanbin Zhang, member of the National Committee of CPPCC and Dean of the School of Marxism in the Party School of the Central Committee of C.P.C (National Academy of Governance), gave a keynote speech.

Jianxin Fang, the primary investigator of the Ningbo Development and Reform Commission, and Wensong Hu, the Executive Vice President of the Zhejiang Robot Association, and Michele Geraci, former Undersecretary of State at the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, also gave speeches.