New Zealand and Chinese Mayoral talks to be held early next month
Published on 30 November 2017
30 November 2017
Enhancing trade in education and the primary industries will feature as key discussion points at next month’s New Zealand China Mayoral Forum.
New Zealand mayors will be making the most of the opportunity to meet with their Chinese counterparts at the second Forum, to be held in Wellington on 3-4 December, the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) media release says.
At the Forum 12 Chinese mayors and vice-mayors from mid and large-sized cities will be joined in Wellington by 38 New Zealand mayors to further strengthen relationships between regions of both countries.
Trade and investment opportunities in tourism, education and primary industries will be central to discussions at this year’s Forum. China is New Zealand’s largest source of foreign students, with 34,000 in 2016, and in 2016 took $9.4 billion of export goods with primary products top of the list.
Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall says excellent relationships with China are important to strengthening the future of the primary sector.
"The primary sector is so important to New Zealand," Mr McDouall says. "We have the expertise and we have the pasture and now we need to build these relationships for a sustainable and economically beneficial future. China is one of the great economies and if we can help feed their population that will be beneficial and quite an honour."
Occasions like the Forum provide valuable opportunities to do that, Mr McDouall says.
LGNZ President Dave Cull says trade with China has tripled since 2007, to $23 billion in the June 2016 year, making the need for continued relationship building increasingly important.
"The Forum is an excellent opportunity for both the country as a whole and the regions to enhance our relationships with New Zealand’s largest trading partner," Mr Cull says.
"There is much to be gained for our communities in developing a greater understanding and appreciation of how China operates. The Forum provides a new sub-national engagement to further enhance and develop political and trade relations for the future."
The Forum is supported by platinum sponsor the China Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand and Bank of China, with additional support from sponsors China Travel Services Ltd, Fonterra, Huawei, the University of Otago, Victoria University of Wellington, Silver Fern Express Ltd, the University of Auckland’s Centre for Asia-Pacific Excellence and the New Zealand China Council and Hastings District Council.
The talks will include mayors, vice mayors and officials from the following Chinese cities: Baoji City, Dunhuang City, Guangzhou City, Heihe City, Hohhot City, Huaibei City, Liaoyang City, Qingdao City, Qingyuan City, Shenzhen City, Weinan City and Xiamen City.