NZ launches China strategy
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E-mail Xinhua, February 3, 2012
A new strategy for New Zealand's future dealings with China was launched by Prime Minister John Key at Auckland's waterfront on Friday, which gives its relations with China a clear direction over the next five years.
Calling for more investment between the two nations, Key said New Zealand was on track to doubling its two-way trade with China to 20 billion NZ dollars (about 17 billion U.S. dollars) by 2015 at the launch ceremony.
"We have a strong relationship with China and have seen good growth in trade over the past few years. The launch of the strategy today will help further strengthen that relationship," Key said.
"The goal of doubling two-way trade from 10 billion NZ dollars to 20 billion NZ dollars by 2015 was agreed when I visited Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in 2010."
"We are on track to meet that goal. Bilateral trade in the year to last September was up 22 percent on the year before, largely helped by the Free Trade Agreement that came into force in late 2008," Key added.
New Zealand was the first, and is still the only Western economy, that has a free trade agreement in place with China. It is also the first time for New Zealand to launch a China Strategy.
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