Ningbo internship a crash course in Chinese business culture

Audrey with fellow United Media Solution interns visiting the Bund - Shanghai's famous historic riverside district

Ningbo was not a city I had ever heard of. Three months later, it is a place I have already booked a return flight to. 

From November 2025 to February 2026, I completed an internship in Ningbo, China, at United Media Solution (UMS), an international marketing agency that primarily supports global brands entering the Chinese market, while increasingly expanding into others.

I began this experience aiming to bridge the gap between studying international business management and applying it in practice, but what I gained extended far beyond that initial goal. 

At UMS, I worked alongside the full Ningbo team and saw how strategy, consulting, client relationships and decision-making unfold in real time.

It quickly became clear that the textbook version of Chinese business and the real version are very different.

My managers and the partners were highly supportive, approachable, and always willing to help. The culture extended to social activities, such as team hikes, dinners, and office celebrations.

On weekends I travelled beyond the city, exploring 'water towns' [historic towns built along rivers and canals], tried regional cuisines, and visited Shanghai, which is just a couple of hours away by train and was where I connected with other New Zealand interns.

By the time I left, I had future travel plans with friends from Ningbo, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. Those relationships did not just stay in China. 

Audrey visiting Shanghai Disneyland with a fellow intern

I produced two research papers for UMS. The first, a China social media guide for clients, explored platforms such as Weixin, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu as marketing ecosystems that connected to lifestyle.

Translating Chinese content into English taught me that effective communication is less about direct translation and more about carrying cultural meaning across audiences.

The second, a global market research report, combined consumer data, market trends, and social media behaviour for UMS clients. Applying strategic frameworks from university in a live commercial context pushed me to a much higher standard. 

Beyond the office, I attended the Nutraceutical and Functional Food Ingredients Business Delegation in Shanghai, co-hosted by the Asia New Zealand Foundation and the New Zealand Consulate-General, and connected with the New Zealand Business Roundtable in China.

Hearing directly from people working inside the New Zealand–China trade relationship gave me insights few students get access to.

Ningbo itself surprised me, not only is it the world's busiest port by tonnage, but it is also a modern, internationally connected city with historical villages, mountainside trails, that has a pace that allows you to settle in.

I made a conscious effort to invest in the experience personally as well as professionally. Training with a personal trainer five days a week gave me routine, I joined a hiking group on weekends and became a regular at pub quiz nights with people from across China, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Some of the most valuable friendships and mentoring relationships I built came from those informal spaces.

Audrey says joining a hiking group was a great way to make new friends and explore the countryside

At the end of my placement, I was grateful to have the opportunity to spend Lunar New Year in Beijing. Experiencing the sheer scale of travel and celebration, changed how I think about community culture.

I came home with a practical understanding of Chinese consumer behaviour, global strategy consulting, my professional direction, and a stronger appreciation of Asia’s importance to New Zealand’s future.

I learned localisation is often the strategy itself, not a final adjustment, and that some of the best insight comes from conversations in a market or a gym, not just from data.

If there’s anything I’d encourage future interns to embrace, it’s a willingness to learn, especially adaptability, cultural intelligence, and confidence in unfamiliar situations.

To get the most out of this opportunity, I'd encourage you to have a personal goal alongside your professional one. Say yes to the hiking group and the quiz night. Invest in routine. Be open, be respectful, and give yourself time to adjust.

Ningbo, China, and the people I met along the way gave me more than I could have hoped for. It taught me how to respectfully cross-cultural boundaries and how you can bring people from different backgrounds together.

 The Foundation's business programme supports New Zealand companies to better understand Asia so they can make the most of opportunities in the region. It also supports to grow the next generation of Asia-savvy business leaders.

Our internship programme helps interns build a better understanding of the people, place and culture of their Asian host country, while developing industry-specific skills that will benefit them as they progress in their careers.