Historically known as one of five trading ports, Ningbo is famous for its thriving business. In 2005, the city's total retail volume of social consumer goods reached RMB 75.98 billion yuan and retail volume per capita reached RMB 11.76 thousand yuan, ranking the first in Zhejiang Province and ahead in China. The increased value of wholesale and retail commerce as well as catering reached RMB 23.7 billion yuan. The output proportion of wholesale and retail commerce as well as catering in GDP 13.6%. In 2005, with business volume of RMB 100.00 billion yuan, of which, there were 643 markets whose respective annual business volume exceeded RMB 109.26 million yuan, 76 markets whose respective annual business volume exceeded RMB 10 billion yuan and the annual average rate of increase, which played a very important role in promoting the development of local and characteristic economy. There were 505 square meters business area, of which, there were 24 large-scale commerce buildings whose respective business area exceeded 10 thousand square meters and the business area per capita reached 0.85 square meter. In 2005, there were 28 chain companies ， with sales volume of RMB 6.95 billion yuan, occupying 42.9% of the city's total retail volume of social consumer goods, with reform pushed forward, the activity in commercial circulation fields was further strengthened and social civil capital came into rapidly. The circulation setup with multiple economic composition, multiple management ways and multiple channels coexisting, had come into being all side. Market competition was more complete. The proportion of the retail volume of social consumer goods accomplished by private commercial economic entities to the city's total retail volume was 72.9%, Large-scale multi-nation commercial groups such as METRO, CARREFOUR, TRUST-MART etc. had come into Ningbo city step by step. With varied commercial forms, management ways, advanced management ideas and management technology introduced, the enterprises engaged in commerce in Ningbo city would import their organization degree and management levels.