China, New Zealand Business Chambers Sign Agreement on Trade in Agricultural Services and Products

Strategic Agreement to Enhance Cooperation, Promote International Trade in Food Products Between the Two Nations

Shanghai, China, November 12, 2019 – New Zealand Business Roundtable in China (NZBRiC) and China Chamber of Commerce of Import and Export of Foodstuffs，Native Produce and Animal By-Products (CFNA) signed Strategic Cooperation Agreement on Building a China-New Zealand Food and Agricultural Products Trade Service Platform (the “Agreement’) at the China Import Food Summit 2019 held recently in Shanghai. The Agreement is signed with the aim of boosting trade in food and agricultural products between the two countries.

Ivan Kinsella, Head Corporate Affairs and Communications at Zespri China and Chairman of NZBRiC, said, “China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner, largest export market and largest source of imports, while New Zealand is now one of China’s top five food suppliers. The signing of the Agreement will lay a solid foundation for cooperation between China and New Zealand on projects in the future."

NZBRiC and CFNA signed the strategic cooperative agreement.

According to the Agreement, China and New Zealand will share information on the food industry and basic data on the international trade in food. In the future, exchanges on the food industry between the two countries will become regular events and more diverse. These will include events such as the China-New Zealand Food Enterprise Summit and reciprocal visits by high-level officials from the two countries. At the same time, China and New Zealand will support enterprises from both countries to engage in the international trade in food and agricultural products, and provide legal consultation and coordination services to facilitate the resolution of trade disputes. In addition, the China Imported Food Public Service Platform website will also set up a New Zealand Food Display Zone to assist quality New Zealand foods to enter the Chinese market.

In attendance to witness the signing ceremony were executives from the members of NEBRIC including Zespri, Fonterra, Silver Fern, Primary Collaboration NZ, and other outstanding and nationally important New Zealand food companies.