On the afternoon of January 16, Ningbo held a video exchange meeting with Bandar Abbas of Iran. Mr. Ye Rongzhong, Secretary of Party Leadership Group of Ningbo Foreign Affairs Office, introduced the Iranian side to Ningbo's latest achievements in economic and social development last year and reflected upon the friendly exchanges between the two cities in the past decade. He hoped to further enhance bilateral friendly relations in the new era, increase mutual visits and promote pragmatic cooperation in economic, trade and people-to-people exchanges.

Mr. Abbasi, Councillor of Bandar Abbas, introduced the city's latest conditions in the fields of economic and social development, port and logistics, foreign trade and investment and so on. He said that the two cities had great similarities in industrial structure and urban construction, and hoped that the two cities would further enhance cooperation in economy, trade, culture, and tourism, and carry out more practical cooperative projects.

Ms. Neda Shadram, Vice Consul of the Iranian Consulate General in Shanghai, attended the meeting and said that the consulate general would spare no efforts to support friendly exchanges between the two cities.

Mr. Xu Leping, Deputy Director-General of Ningbo Foreign Affairs Office, presided over the meeting. Leading officials of relevant departments of Ningbo Foreign Affairs Office and CCPIT-Ningbo attended the meeting.

Located on the southern coast of Iran facing the Strait of Hormuz, Bandar Abbas is the capital of Hormozgan Province. With a population of about 700,000, Bandar Abbas is an important port city as well as an economic and foreign trade hub in Iran. In February 2013, the city signed a letter of intent to establish friendly exchange relations with Ningbo.