Consul General Wang in his speech briefed the audience on the progress of production and market resumption as well as good momentum of economic recovery in China, highlighting China’s measures to further open-up and ease market access to foreign enterprises and investors. He mentioned that the economic partnership between China and New Zealand derived its resilience from the high-standard bilateral FTA and strong complementarities between both economies, poised to overcome negative impacts of the pandemic at an early date.
Consul General Wang stressed that the development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand will inject important impetus to economic recovery and benefit both peoples. Be it in taming the virus or in achieving economic recovery, humanity cannot succeed without solidarity, cooperation and multilateralism. Both countries should work together to safeguard healthy development of globalization as well as keeping the global industrial and supply chains stable and unclogged.
Consul General Wang encouraged businesses in South Island to boost confidence in carrying out economic and trade cooperation with China and offered suggestions: First, utilize the opportunities of China’s further opening-up to explore the vast Chinese market. Second, focus more on innovative areas like e-commerce, 5G and artificial intelligence and contribute to building a “Digital Silk Road”. Third, create new growth points in medicine and health and contribute to building a “Silk Road of Health”. Fourth, promote cooperation in areas of respective strengths like agriculture, animal husbandry and infrastructure.
Mr. Thompson highlighted the significance of deepening economic and trade partnership between both countries for post-pandemic recovery. He pointed out that China remains one of the most important trade partners of New Zealand, and businesses in New Zealand value the potential of Chinese market. He encouraged both sides to work together to push forward bilateral economic and trade cooperation for mutual benefits in the post-pandemic era.
In the Q&A session, Consul General Wang and Mr. Thompson responded to questions on seafood export to China, strengthening air links, recovery of tourism and international education sectors, prospects of Belt and Road International Cooperation, and advised on exploring emerging opportunities of bilateral trade and investment.
