Main responsibilities:

1. To carry out guidelines, policies, and regulations formulated by the Central Government about foreign affairs, and instructions and decisions made by relevant provincial and municipal governments; to advance, together with relevant government agencies, concrete measures and approaches to implement foreign policies, and supervise and inspect the implementation.

2. To coordinate all municipal departments in handling foreign affairs and major plans for foreign exchanges; to handle important foreign affairs together with relevant agencies; to cooperate with relevant state and provincial departments in dealing with foreign exchanges.

3. To examine applicants (and authorise them if all requirements are met) who are going to Hong Kong, Macao and other countries on business; to examine applicants for other countries whose official rank is at or above a deputy-bureau-director level, and report them to higher authorities for approval, and examine applicants (and authorise them if all requirements are met) whose official rank is at or below a division-chief level; to issue permits to applicants for Hong Kong and Macao, or passports to applicants for other countries, and act as agents for visa applications; to examine cross-district and cross-department organisations going abroad, and provide confirmations; to handle visa application and consulate certification of visiting foreigners, and other consulate affairs; to carry out examination and approval of visiting foreigners; to assist relevant agencies in instructing people who are going abroad in foreign policies and related disciplines.

4. To be responsible for the reception of foreign state and party visitors, distinguished guests, and other visiting foreign diplomats in China; to manage foreign journalists in Ningbo, and provide guidance for municipal departments and institutions at various levels on the reception of foreign journalists; to assist leaders of the Municipal Party Committee, People's Congress, Government, and People's Political Consultative Conference in conducting foreign exchanges.

5. To manage Ningbo's exchanges with its sister cities in other countries, and report its new friendly ties to higher authorities for approval; to conduct exchanges with all friendly nongovernmental bodies; to provide guidance for relevant municipal agencies, departments or bodies, counties or districts on establishing friendly ties with foreign countries, and help them to manage the exchanges; to take charge of the daily routines of the Municipal People's Association of Foreign Relations.

6. To provide guidance for relevant departments in managing foreign specialists and employees in foreign-funded enterprises, and issue certificates to foreign specialists; to examine foreign friends' qualifications for honorary titles and report to higher authorities for approval.

7. To instruct all government leaders and employees in Ningbo in current international situation, foreign policies and disciplines; to organise the training of leaders dealing with foreign affairs; to be responsible for evaluating professional titles in regard to translation.

8. To assist publicity departments in promoting Ningbo internationally and educating the citizens about foreign etiquette and customs; to censor major news reports and documents available to foreign countries; to open enterprises to foreign visitors, together with relevant agencies, adjust them and provide guidance for their foreign exchanges.

9. To assist the Discipline Inspection Commission, Supervision Commission, and Information Confidentiality Department in supervising and inspecting the execution of disciplines and information security rules, investigate and punish violations.

10. To assist relevant departments in managing and regulating organisations engaged in foreign-exchange businesses.

11. To handle daily routines of the board of directors responsible for foreign affairs in the Municipal Party Committee; to provide guidance for municipal departments and institutions at various levels on foreign affairs.

12. To undertake other tasks assigned by the Municipal Party Committee, Municipal Government, and higher foreign affairs departments.

Add: 91 North Jiefang Rd., Ningbo
Postcode: 315000
Tel: (86-574) 87279844
Fax: (86-574) 87186518
E-mail: webmaster@nbfao.gov.cn
Homepage: http://nbfao.gov.cn/index.php?xname=IJ0NGV0