Our produce exporters are also active in digital marketing and e-commerce in the China market. Over 40 companies from New Zealand’s wine sector are building their brands and selling on China’s leading e-commerce platforms. The sheer scale of China’s digital economy continues to offer significant opportunities for New Zealand exporters, including our small and medium enterprises. Over half of China’s population purchase their goods online. The growth of e-commerce has been another success story emerging out of the last two years. For New Zealand, it has meant a steady in-flow of critical COVID-19 goods including personal protective equipment, and more recently Rapid Antigen Tests – of which China is New Zealand’s largest supplier (I suspect many of you in the audience are intimately familiar with them!). Sustaining air connections helped secure the exchange of critical airfreight throughout the pandemic. Many of you in this room led the way in ensuring that business and other connections remained in good shape throughout.ĭespite the challenges, Air New Zealand, China Southern, and China Eastern have continued direct flights. The significance of this progress is notable for occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fast forward 50 years and that figure is now closer to $38 billion.Įconomic connections between our two countries were further strengthened with the entry into force earlier this year of both the bilateral FTA upgrade, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic partnership, with two-way trade between China and New Zealand now worth nearly $38 billion. In the three years immediately following our first diplomatic connections, bilateral trade increased to $38 million. In particular I would like to acknowledge the NZ Chinese Association and their role in preserving the culture and connections of our Chinese diaspora. Some of you here might know that Eltham, in Taranaki, is the source of Kapiti Cheese and is home to one of Fonterra’s oldest dairy sites.Ĭhinese New Zealanders now make up almost 5 percent of our population – many of whom can trace their New Zealand family history back many generations. And the prominence of this region lives on. Originally from Guangzhou, he emigrated to Taranaki in 1867 and became an innovator and leader in the dairy sector, gaining widespread recognition for his production of high quality export-grade butter. Today, there are thought to be more than 1600 descendants of Appo Hocton living throughout New Zealand. Appo became a respected businessman who built up from scratch an almost 500 acre sheep and cattle farm near Motueka. Earlier even than Rewi Alley’s arrival in China in 1927.įor example Appo Hocton, commonly understood to be the first Chinese immigrant to New Zealand, who settled in Nelson in 1849. Reflecting on these themes, I am reminded of some of the earliest connections between our people which extend much earlier than 1972. This year’s marking of the 50 th anniversary is centred around people, planet, and prosperity. Since those early days, our relationship has continued to grow and develop.
They had a broad remit, including trade opportunities, scientific, cultural, and sporting exchanges. Neither he nor any of his accompanying delegation members had visited China before.
Later that same year, the New Zealand and Chinese permanent representatives to the United Nations in New York put pen to paper, formally establishing the diplomatic relationship between our two countries.Ī few months after this, New Zealand’s Overseas Trade Minister, Joe Walding, made the first visit to China by a New Zealand Minister since the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949. Richard Nixon became the first US President to visit Beijing, reopening diplomatic engagement with the United States. This year marks a significant milestone in the New Zealand – China relationship.įifty years ago – 1972 – was a prominent year in global affairs. Let us bind our connection, let us bind our vision, let us bind our shared aspiration for peace and prosperity. Tuia ngā waka, Tuia ngā wawata, Tuia ngā hou-kura
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