The 26th Joint Meeting of Mayors of the Eastern Zhejiang Economic Cooperation Zone kicked off in Jiaxing on May 26. The cities of Ningbo, Shaoxing, Zhoushan, Taizhou and Jiaxing explored new development opportunities.

The Eastern Zhejiang Economic Cooperation Zone was established 37 years ago. It is one of the earliest regional cooperation organizations in China. Fifteen years ago, Jiaxing joined the organization, spurring the organization's further development.

Cooperation between Jiaxing and the four cities in the Eastern Zhejiang Economic Cooperation Zone is going ahead at full throttle.

The Hangzhou Bay Bridge and Jiashao Bridge were put into operation in recent years, and construction on the Zhejiang section of the Nantong-Suzhou-Jiaxing-Ningbo High-speed Railway is currently underway.

The Yuxingnao Waterway jointly built by Jiaxing Port and Ningbo Zhoushan Port is about to undergo its final inspection.

The Yuxingnao Waterway is the most convenient channel connecting Zhoushan Port of Ningbo to Jiaxing Port in northern Zhejiang province. It is an important part of the river-sea combined transport system in Zhejiang province and will enhance Jiaxing Port's role as a hub in the Yangtze River Delta for river-sea combined transport.

The port economy is fundamental to the Eastern Zhejiang Economic Cooperation Zone. Between 2008, when Jiaxing joined the Eastern Zhejiang Economic Cooperation Zone, and 2022, container traffic between Jiaxing Port and Ningbo Port has increased from 29,000 TEUs to 2,853,900 TEUs, the fastest growth rate among coastal ports in China.

In the first quarter of this year, Jiaxing Port saw a cargo throughput of 3,209,500 metric tons and a container throughput of 714,300 TEUs, up 6.72 percent and 21.6 percent, respectively, year-on-year.