By H.E. Clare Fearnley， Ambassador of New Zealand to China
文｜傅恩莱（Clare Fearnley） 新西兰驻华大使 翻译｜新西兰驻华大使馆
导读
●新西兰—中国自由贸易协定升级
●服务贸易机遇增多
●货物市场准入进一步放开
●环境与贸易
●区域和多边贸易合作
●双边贸易和经济合作
●在新西兰投资
The New Zealand-China trade and investment relationship is complementary, and both sides benefit from it. China is New Zealand’s largest source of many consumer goods; New Zealand continues to be one of China’s largest sources of food imports. As New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said, New Zealand’s relationship with China is one of our most significant. Our bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership provides a foundation for the relationship.
New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement Upgrade
New Zealand and China entered into a Free Trade Agreement fourteen years ago in 2008. It has been a success story for both countries, opening up significant economic opportunities and has been a catalyst for closer cooperation across a number of areas. The FTA already provides for all Chinese exports to enter New Zealand duty free, and almost all New Zealand’s goods exports to China will similarly enter China duty free by 2024.
The FTA has benefitted both New Zealand and China – our business people and our consumers. In the period since the FTA was concluded in 2008, two-way trade (exports and imports of goods and services) has more than quadrupled – from $9 billion to $38 billion.
However Trade rules and business practices have changed significantly over the past fourteen years. So, against this backdrop, New Zealand and China agreed in November 2016 to launch negotiations to upgrade our free trade agreement to modernise it, further reduce barriers impacting exports, and boost trade. Our negotiations to upgrade the FTA were an opportunity to ensure our bilateral FTA remained up to date – and that it delivers the best deal for trading firms in both countries, and ultimately for consumers.
The FTA Upgrade was signed virtually in January 2021 by New Zealand Minister for Trade and Export Growth, Hon. Damien O’Connor, and China’s Minister of Commerce, Wang Wentao. In February this year, the two Ministers announced that both countries had ratified the Upgrade Protocol, and that it would enter into force on 7 April 2022.
As Minister O’Connor said in February: “This Upgrade is a significant step for us and forms part of a body of work we’re doing to drive our economic recovery from COVID. New Zealand’s trade agenda has very good momentum, with our primary industry exports forecast to hit a record $50 billion this year alone.”
The upgrade both improves upon the existing commitments and adds new areas not previously covered by the 2008 Agreement. It includes improvements in relation to: technical barriers to trade; customs procedures, cooperation, trade facilitation and rules of origin provisions; services and goods market access; and new chapters on competition policy, e-commerce, environment and trade, and government procurement.
The entry into force of the FTA Upgrade comes at a time of considerable global economic disruption, due to COVID-19 related supply chain challenges. For New Zealand, new trade instruments such as the Upgrade are part of the Government’s Trade Recovery Strategy in response to the economic shocks of COVID-19. We believe the Upgrade will help build shore-up economic foundations as our two countries’ economies continue to work through the impacts of COVID-19.
Each of the upgraded and new chapters contains a number of trade commitments, as well as mechanisms to facilitate dialogue and cooperation on emerging issues of importance to both sides.
⬆ An aerial view of Wellington
Improved services trade opportunities
In recent years, China has continued to open up its services economy, and make commitments in new services sectors not covered in our 2008 free trade agreement. The Upgrade reflects these commitments and goes further, creating new opportunities for service suppliers in each of our countries’ markets.
The improvements include new market access in a number of service sectors, including environmental, architectural, airport operation, and audio-visual services. The upgraded agreement also expands market access in existing service sector commitments in the free trade agreement, such as real estate services, translation and interpretation, education services, advertising services and more.
The upgrade also protects exporters’ future competitive positioning by allowing them to automatically benefit should either side make new commitments to other countries in specific service sectors. New Zealand and China have also agreed to negotiate to further simplify services commitments in the future through adopting a ‘negative list’ format.
In the field of education, the Upgrade helps position New Zealand competitively as a preferred destination for Chinese students wishing to study abroad, and it also provides opportunities for New Zealand companies to deliver educational services in China. The agreement also provides scope for more Chinese language teachers to work in New Zealand.
Improved goods market access
The FTA Upgrade provides further market access improvements into China for a number of New Zealand wood and paper products, with tariff elimination on 12 wood and paper products. Once fully implemented over up to 10 years, 99% of New Zealand’s $3 billion wood and paper trade to China will receive tariff-free access.
The upgraded agreement includes a number of improvements to facilitate the free flow of trade in goods, including updated customs procedures.
These improve transparency and reduce red tape in areas such as certificates of origin (introducing the option for ‘approved exporters’ to self-declare the origin of their goods) and goods in transit (through simplifying processes and highlighting alternatives to ‘certificates of non-manipulation’).
Further improvements include procedures for handling ’perishable goods’ like fresh seafood (introducing expedited six-hour clearance times, release of such goods outside normal business hours, and appropriate storage) as well as an extension of the scope of advance rulings in the existing free trade agreement.
The Upgrade will also make labelling easier for exporters, and enable discussions on updating the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Mutual Recognition Agreement (EEEMRA) in the existing FTA.
Separately, from 1 January 2024, remaining tariffs on New Zealand dairy products to China will be removed as a result of ongoing implementation of the existing FTA. Chinese consumers will continue to enjoy safe, high quality and nutritious dairy products manufactured in New Zealand, including by Chinese dairy companies, and sold at competitive prices.
Environment and Trade
Climate change and the environment are top priorities for both of our governments and an important strand of our bilateral cooperation. Therefore, the new Trade and Environment chapter which has been added to the upgraded FTA is an important part of the Upgrade. In addition to promoting cooperation, it includes commitments to ensure that environmental standards are not used for trade protectionist purposes. It builds upon and complements the existing Environmental Cooperation Agreement that was negotiated alongside the original FTA in 2008.
The Upgrade’s commitments on environment and trade will require each of our two countries to enforce effectively our environmental laws, and not to weaken them in order to encourage trade or investment. The review provisions also provide for New Zealand and China to review any impact that implementing the FTA may have on the environment, and report on any effects over time.
Cooperation under the Upgrade’s Trade and Environment chapter will also complement our broader cooperation on Climate Change, including under the New Zealand-China Climate Change Action Plan, agreed in 2017, and the joint statement by Prime Minster Ardern and Premier Li during Ardern’s 2019 visit to China committing to further strengthen our on-going climate change cooperation.
Regional and Multilateral Trade Cooperation
Another recent highlight in the New Zealand-China trading relationship was the signature in 2020 of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and its entry into force at the start of this year. The RCEP is anchored in a region which is the engine room of the global economy. The 15 RCEP economies – including the 10 ASEAN members – are home to almost a third of the world’s population, include 7 of our top 10 trading partners, receive over half New Zealand’s total exports and provide more than half our direct foreign investment.
RCEP deepens our trade and economic connections in the wider region, and is an important part of New Zealand’s Trade Recovery Strategy. The agreement is helping to ensure that its members are in the best possible position to recover from the impacts of COVID-19, and to seize new opportunities for exports and investment. RCEP is projected to add $186 billion to the world economy and increase New Zealand’s GDP by around $2 billion.
New Zealand exporters have, in the past, grappled with a complex web of different rules when they trade in the region. The RCEP agreement delivers a single set of rules with RCEP partners, making trade simpler and reducing compliance costs for exporters. RCEP addresses non-tariff barriers to trade in goods, reducing the time exporters spend waiting for goods to clear customs, and helps create opportunities for New Zealand exporters to get their products and services into regional value chains.
More broadly, New Zealand supports the widespread adoption of modern trade rules. This includes through regional megadeals such as RCEP, as well as the CPTPP. Ongoing discussions at the World Trade Organisation on issues like e-commerce and trade and environmental sustainability, and New Zealand’s innovative agreements on Digital Economy (DEPA) and on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS), are other examples. China too is an active participant in those discussions at the WTO, and we also acknowledge the significance of China’s requests to accede to the CPTPP and DEPA.
In addition, as the host of APEC last year, New Zealand worked with China and other APEC members to focus on three key priorities – Economic and trade policies that strengthen recovery; Increasing inclusion and sustainability for recovery; and pursuing innovation and a digitally enabled recovery, by accelerating the APEC region’s work in these areas.
All of these efforts sit within the context of the New Zealand Government’s trade recovery strategy, which aims to put exporters at the centre of our economic recovery from COVID-19. Under this strategy, the Government has improved the support it gives to exporters by providing tools, support, and market intelligence to businesses, especially those that may not be able to be physically present in the market due to travel restrictions. Secondly, New Zealand is reinvigorating its support for international trade rules and organisations, which have become more important than ever. We are working, including with China, to reform and strengthen the WTO to ensure it remains effective and can contribute to solving contemporary global challenges.
Bilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation
Despite the pandemic, regular dialogue between New Zealand and Chinese ministers and officials has continued over the past two years. New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Export Growth, Damien O’Connor, has spoken a number of times with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao. 2021 saw the inaugural bilateral Financial Dialogue held in June, as well as dialogues on climate, trade, dairy, fisheries, agricultural cooperation, forestry and customs.
In addition, New Zealand agencies have continued to work closely with Chinese counterparts to support the flow of trade, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, including through formal bilateral talks that underpin the relationship, ranging from trade to agriculture, to science and education; through supporting New Zealand businesses to participate in the China International Import Expo; as well as cooperating in areas of shared interest, such as maintaining supply chains for essential goods.
Another positive area of cooperation relates to business regulations and the business environment. In the past three years, New Zealand officials have shared their experiences with regard to business regulation via presentations at events hosted by the State Council, National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, and a range of provincial and municipal governments. New Zealand’s top international ranking in business environment indices reflects the importance placed by New Zealand on improving the business environment by streamlining services and regulations, especially for exporters and for small and medium enterprises. China’s fast improvement of its own business environment rankings has provided an ideal basis for our bilateral exchanges in areas such as business and property registrations, cross-border trade facilitation, construction permitting, and intellectual property protection.
Our two countries share an especially close relationship with regard to agriculture, which spans a number of areas, providing mutual benefits to both China and New Zealand. We remain committed to our very successful bilateral cooperation programmes and regular dialogues, including in Milk Quality and Safety; Dairy Farmer Training; Animal Disease Control and Prevention; Equine Health and Wellbeing Cooperation; and our Dairy Dialogue. The two sides have been able to deepen this relationship on agriculture in recent years through the establishment of new cooperation programmes. Our agricultural cooperation now spans the areas of dairy, forestry, fisheries and meat reflective of the breadth and depth of our relationship across the primary industries.
People-to-people links form the backbone of the New Zealand-China relationship, and the challenges to cross-border movement created by the COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped this. New Zealand and China have long enjoyed extensive people exchanges, especially in education and tourism. Our strong bilateral cooperation in education has continued despite the pandemic. Recent examples include the 2nd annual New Zealand-China Early Childhood Education Symposium, the New Zealand-China Higher Vocational Education Summit, and the Joint Education Working Group. We continue to support bilateral research collaboration under the Tripartite Partnership Programme. We look forward to the time when regular face to face meetings will again be feasible.
New Zealand is in the process of reopening to the world. China will continue to be an important tourism market for New Zealand once two-way reopening is possible. We are committed to maintaining the relationship that was strengthened during the China-New Zealand Year of Tourism in 2019, including through future exchanges between our tourism officials.
Investment in New Zealand
New Zealand has a long history of embracing investment, both local and international, with an investor-friendly regulatory environment. We offer a highly competitive, growing economy, fuelled by people and businesses that display tremendous ingenuity, an abundance of natural resources, an agile regulatory framework, and privileged access to growing markets in Asia.
New Zealand continues to welcome high-quality and productive foreign investment, including from China. Chinese investment in areas that create new productive assets is a good example of the kind of investment that the New Zealand Government is eager to attract.
New Zealand’s regulatory approach is robust enough to ensure that property rights (both intellectual and real) are protected, while also staying business friendly. New Zealand ranks at the top of the Transparency International global rankings. We have a reputation for honesty, ranking as one of the world’s least corrupt countries. New Zealand’s low net debt to gross domestic product (GDP), low sovereign risk and independently managed inflation rate are bedrocks of stability. This solid foundation instils investor confidence and has given New Zealand the ability to persevere through and bounce back from crises such as COVID-19.
As mentioned above, New Zealand’s world-leading business regulatory environment provides stability and protections for international investors. Compared to other parts of the world, starting a business is simple – it only requires one step and can be completed in half a day. There is a straightforward, business-friendly taxation system. Over the past three decades, New Zealand has advanced to having some of the most investor-friendly regulations in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). There are fewer layers of bureaucracy, both in the public and private sectors, with government departments easily accessible.
New Zealand was founded on exploration and adventure, and that curiosity is still evident today in our technological and entrepreneurial endeavours. New Zealanders have long been at the very forefront of technological advances and scientific breakthroughs. Being the first to split the atom and the first to climb to the summit of Mount Everest were only the beginning. Entrepreneurship is actively encouraged, with a range of R&D grants offered, and progressive immigration policies to attract entrepreneurs and investors who are committed to a sustainable and equitable future for New Zealand and the world.
In the past, China’s investments into New Zealand have been dominated by investments into primary and heavy industries, many by large state-owned enterprises. However, more recently, New Zealand has seen an increase in investment from private investors into high-quality consumer products, especially in the food and beverage, pet food, beauty, and healthcare sectors. This leverages New Zealand’s clean, green and safe brand image to help Chinese families upgrade the quality of their household consumption.
New Zealand wants to collaborate with individuals and businesses to deliver sustainable prosperity and growth. New Zealand’s overseas investment regulations are highly transparent and designed to ensure investment makes a positive contribution to the economy, environment and society. The New Zealand Government is seeking to attract high-quality investment into all regions of New Zealand. Some of the sectors where there are opportunities include wood processing, luxury tourism and hotels, value-added dairy products, pet food, and renewable energy.
Those looking to make high-quality and productive investments in New Zealand will find that support comes in many forms, including the provision of information and advice on the business and regulatory environment, market intelligence, investment opportunities, government programmes, site visits, and post-investment support.
新西兰和中国之间的贸易投资关系是互补的、互惠互利的。中国是新西兰诸多消费品的最大来源国；新西兰一直以来是中国最大的食品进口来源地之一。新西兰总理杰辛达·阿德恩曾表示，对华关系是新西兰最重要的关系之一。我们双边的全面战略伙伴关系为两国经贸关系奠定了基础。
新西兰—中国自由贸易协定升级
14年前，即2008年，新西兰和中国缔结自由贸易协定。协定在两国都谱写了一个成功的故事，它创造了重大经济机遇，并成为在多个领域开展更紧密合作的催化剂。 在自贸协定项下，中国出口到新西兰已经全部实现零关税，到2024年，绝大部分新西兰商品也将同样以零关税出口到中国。
自贸协定使新西兰和中国获益，惠及两国的企业家以及消费者。自2008年自贸协定签定以来，双向贸易（货物与服务进出口）增长了3倍以上，从90亿新西兰元增加到380亿新西兰元。
但是，过去十四年来，贸易规则和商业实践都发生了显著变化。因此，在这一背景下，新西兰和中国于2016年11月同意启动两国自贸协定升级谈判，旨在使协定变得现代化，进一步减少影响出口的壁垒，促进贸易。我们以自贸协定升级谈判为契机，确保我们的双边自贸协定始终与时俱进，并使两国的外贸企业和消费者在最大程度上受益。
2021年1月，新西兰贸易和出口增长部达米恩·奥康纳部长与中国商务部王文涛部长通过视频的方式签署了自贸协定的升级版。今年 2 月，两位部长宣布，两国均已完成了升级议定书的核准程序，升级版协定将于2022年4月7日生效。奥康纳部长在今年2月份曾表示：“对我们来说，协定升级跨出了重要的一步，这是我们为推动疫情后经济复苏而开展的系列工作的一部分。新西兰的贸易势头非常好，仅在今年我们的初级产品出口预计就会达到创纪录的500亿新西兰元。”
升级版协定既包括对现有承诺的改进，也涵盖了此前2008年协定中并未涉及的新领域。升级版完善了技术性贸易壁垒、海关程序与合作、贸易便利化以及原产地规则方面的条款，进一步放开了服务与货物市场准入，并引入了竞争政策、电子商务、环境与贸易、政府采购方面的新章节。 升级版自贸协定生效之时，正值新冠疫情给供应链带来诸多挑战，全球经济因此遭遇严重干扰。对于新西兰而言，新的贸易协议，包括升级版新中自贸协定，是政府实施的贸易复苏战略的一部分，以应对疫情对经济造成的冲击。我们相信，在我们两国经济持续应对疫情影响的过程中，升级版协定将有助于打造稳固的经济基础。
每个升级后的章节和每个崭新的章节都包含了一些贸易承诺和机制，这些机制有助于双方针对新出现的重大问题展开对话与合作。
⬆ 新西兰的养蜂业（新西兰驻华大使馆供图）
服务贸易机遇增多
近年来，中国进一步开放服务业，并在新的服务领域做出承诺，两国的2008年版自贸协定并未涵盖这些承诺。此次升级纳入了这些承诺，而且并未止步于此，为服务供应商们在两国市场创造了新机遇。
升级版自贸协定做出的改进，包括数个服务领域新的市场准入，涉及环境、建筑、机场运营、视听服务。升级版协定还扩大了现有的自贸协定项下服务业领域所承诺的市场准入，例如房地产服务、笔译与口译、教育服务、广告服务等。
升级版协定也为出口商未来的竞争地位提供保护，如果双方任何一方在特定的服务领域对其他国家做出了新的承诺，出口商将自动受益。新西兰和中国还同意进行谈判，未来采用负面清单的形式进一步简化服务承诺。
在教育领域，升级版协定有助于新西兰保持其作为留学目的地的竞争力，赢得中国学生的青睐，吸引他们赴新留学，升级也为新西兰企业在中国境内提供教育服务创造了机会。协定还为更多的中文教师在新西兰执教提供了机会。
货物市场准入进一步放开
升级版自贸协定进一步放宽了一些新西兰木材和纸制品的中国市场准入，取消了12种木材和纸制品的关税。协定在不超过十年的时间里全面实施之后，新西兰对华30亿新西兰元的木材和纸制品贸易99%将实现零关税。
为促进货物贸易畅通，升级版协定做出了数项改进，例如对海关程序予以更新。
在原产地证书（引入了“经核准出口商”自行申报其货物原产地这一选项）、过境货物（简化流程并强调可使用“非操纵证书”的替代方案）等领域，提高了透明度，并简化了手续。
升级版协定还进一步改善了处理新鲜海鲜等“易腐货物”的程序（引入了6小时快速通关、在正常的工作时间外放行此类货物、恰当储存），并扩大了现有自贸协定里预裁定的涵盖范围。
升级版协定还将让出口商的标签工作变得更为简便，也有助于双方开展讨论以更新现有自贸协定中的电子电器产品互认安排。
另外，随着现行自贸协定的持续实施，从2024年1月1日起，将取消新西兰乳制品出口到中国的剩余关税。中国消费者可以继续享用由包括中国乳企在内的企业在新西兰境内生产的安全、优质、营养丰富、价格具备竞争优势的乳制品。
环境与贸易
气候变化与环境是我们两国政府的首要工作，也是我们双边合作的一个重要领域。所以，升级版协定引入了新的贸易与环境章节，这是协定的一个重要组成部分。其中除了推动合作以外，还承诺确保环境标准不得用于贸易保护主义之目的。在针对2008年原版自贸协定进行谈判的过程中，现行的环境合作协定当时也处于谈判过程中，升级版协定的新章节以现行的环境合作协定为基础，并对其做出了补充。
按照升级版协定中关于环境与贸易的承诺，将要求我们两国各自有效执行其环境法律法规，不得为了鼓励贸易或投资而削弱其环境措施。按照评估条款规定，新西兰和中国也会评估自贸协定的实施可能对环境造成的影响，并适时报告相关影响。
新中在升级版协定的贸易与环境章节项下开展合作，也将对两国在气候变化领域更广泛的合作形成补充，其中包括2017年商定的《新西兰—中国应对气候变化行动计划》，以及2019年阿德恩总理访华期间与李克强总理发表的致力于进一步增强两国之间持续开展的气候变化合作的联合声明。
区域和多边贸易合作
新西兰-中国贸易关系的另一个高光时刻是在2020年签署并于今年初生效的《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》。《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》所辐射的区域是全球经济的引擎。15个《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》涵盖的经济体 – 包括10个东盟成员国，拥有全世界近三分之一的人口， 包括我们前十大贸易伙伴中的7个，占据新西兰总出口的一半，给我们提供超过一半的外商直接投资。
《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》加深了我们在更广泛地区的贸易与经济关系，是新西兰贸易复苏战略的重要部分。这一协定有助于保证其成员尽可能获得最有利的条件，从新冠疫情的影响中复苏，抓住出口和投资中出现的新机会。预计《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》将为世界经济增加1860亿美元，提高新西兰GDP约20亿美元。
过去，新西兰出口商在该区域进行贸易时曾努力应对各种复杂的规则网络。《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》在协定伙伴间实行一套单一规则，使得贸易更加简易，降低出口商的合规成本。《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》取消了货物贸易的非关税壁垒，缩短了出口商用于等待货物清关的时间，有助于为新西兰出口商创造机会使其产品和服务进入地区价值链。
更广泛的说，新西兰支持广泛采用现代贸易规则。这包括通过诸如《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》和《全面与进步跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》等地区大协定来实现。其他例子诸如在世界贸易组织持续讨论有关电子商务以及贸易和环境可持续性问题，以及新西兰创新性的《数字经济伙伴关系协定》和《气候变化、贸易和可持续性协定》。中国也是世贸组织这些讨论的积极参与者，我们也认可中国申请加入《全面与进步跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》和《数字经济伙伴关系协定》的重要意义。
此外，去年作为亚太经合组织东道国，新西兰与中国和其他亚太经合组织成员国专注三项关键重点——加强复苏的经济和贸易政策，提高复苏的包容性和可持续性，寻求创新和数字化的复苏， 通过加速亚太经合组织地区在这些领域的工作来实现。
所有这些努力符合新西兰政府贸易复苏战略的背景，这一战略旨在把出口商置于从新冠疫情中复苏经济的中心。在这一战略下，政府通过向企业，尤其是由于旅行限制而无法亲自前往市场的企业，提供工具、支持和市场信息来改进其对出口商的支持。其次，新西兰在重新激活其对国际贸易规则和组织的支持，这些比以往更为重要。我们正在与包括中国在内的国家改革和增强世界贸易组织，确保其仍然有效，可以为解决当代全球挑战做出贡献。
双边贸易和经济合作
过去两年虽然疫情肆虐，新西兰和中国仍然保持着部长级和官员间的定期对话。新西兰贸易与出口部长达米安·奥康纳与中国商务部长王文涛开展了数次交流。2021年6月我们举办了首次双边财金对话，同年我们还举行了气候、贸易、乳业、渔业、农业合作、林业和海关领域的对话。
除此之外，尽管面临新冠疫情带来的挑战，新西兰各部门继续与中方对口部门密切合作,支持贸易流动，包括通过奠定双边关系基础的包括从贸易到农业、科技和教育领域的正式双边对话，通过支持新西兰企业参加中国国际进口博览会，以及在维持必需品供应链运转等有共同利益的领域合作。
另一个积极的合作领域涉及商业法规和营商环境。过去3年间，新西兰官员在中国国务院、国家发展和改革委员会、财政部以及一系列省市级政府举行的活动上以演讲的方式分享了在商业法规方面的经验。新西兰营商环境指标领先的国际排名反映了新西兰对通过精简特别是适用于出口商和中小企业的服务和法规以改善营商环境的重视。中国自身营商环境排名的迅速提升为我们在开办企业、不动产登记、跨境贸易便利化、获得建筑许可和知识产权保护领域开展双边交流提供了理想的基础。
我们两国在农业方面的关系尤其密切，农业包含很多领域，中国和新西兰都从中受益。我们仍然致力于我们非常成功的双边合作项目和定期对话，包括牛奶质量与安全，奶农培训，动物疾病预防与控制，马健康和福利合作，以及双边乳业对话。近年来双方通过建立新的合作项目深化了在农业领域的关系。现在我们的农业合作包括乳业、林业、渔业和肉类，体现了我们的关系在初级产业方面的广度和深度。
人文关系构成了新西兰-中国关系的基石，新冠疫情大流行对跨境移动带来的挑战未能阻止这一关系的发展。 长期以来新西兰和中国拥有广泛的人文交流，特别是在教育和旅游方面。我们在教育方面强劲的双边合作在疫情大流行的背景下继续发展，表现在近期我们举办了第二届年度新西兰-中国早期孩童教育论坛，新西兰-中国高等职业教育峰会以及联合教育工作组会。我们一如既往地支持在三边伙伴关系项目下的双边研究合作。我们期待再次常规地进行面对面交流。
新西兰处于重新向世界开放的过程中。在双向互通之后，中国将仍然是新西兰重要的旅游市场。2019年中国-新西兰旅游年增进了双方的关系，我们致力于通过两国旅游官员进一步相互交流等方式保持这一关系。
在新西兰投资
新西兰在欢迎本地和国际投资方面有着悠久的历史，拥有对投资者友好的监管环境。新西兰拥有由极具创造力的个人和企业推动的高度竞争力和持续增长的经济、丰富的自然资源、灵活的监管框架以及进入不断增长的亚洲市场的特权。
新西兰继续欢迎高质量和生产性外商投资，包括来自中国的投资。中国在创造新生产性资产领域的投资就是新西兰政府渴望吸引的一种投资的良好实例。
新西兰的监管措施足够强健，可以确保财产权（包括知识产权和物权）得到保护，同时保持友好的商业环境。新西兰在透明国际全球排名中名列前茅。我们享有诚实的美誉，是世界上腐败程度最低的国家之一。新西兰较低的净债务占国内生产总值 (GDP) 比率、低主权风险和独立管理的通货膨胀率是稳定的基石。这一坚实的基础为投资者注入了信心，并使新西兰能够度过新冠疫情危机，并从中恢复。
如上所述，新西兰世界领先的商业监管环境为国际投资者提供了稳定的环境和保护。与世界其他地方相比，在新西兰开办企业很简单——只需一步，半天即可完成。新西兰拥有简单并对企业友好的税收制度。在过去的三十年里，新西兰不断进步，在经济合作与发展组织 (OECD) 中拥有一些对投资者最友好的法规。公共和私营部门的官僚机构层级较少，很容易找到相应的政府部门。
新西兰始于探索和冒险，这种好奇心如今在我们的技术和创业努力中仍然可见。新西兰人长期以来一直处于技术进步和科学突破的最前沿。首位分裂原子和首位登上珠穆朗玛峰顶峰的人均为新西兰人，这只是一个开端。新西兰积极鼓励企业家精神，提供一系列研发资金和先进的移民政策，以吸引致力于为新西兰和世界创造可持续和公平未来的企业家和投资者。
过去，中国对新西兰的投资主要是对初级产业和重工业的投资，许多投资者是大型国有企业。然而，最近私募股权投资者的投资有所增加，投资的领域包括高质量的消费品，尤其是食品和饮料、宠物食品、美容和医疗保健。利用新西兰清洁、绿色、安全的品牌形象，帮助中国家庭提升家庭消费质量。
新西兰希望与个人和企业合作，实现可持续繁荣和增长。新西兰的海外投资法规高度透明，旨在确保投资对经济、环境和社会做出积极贡献。新西兰政府正在寻求将高质量的投资吸引到新西兰的所有地区。有投资机会的行业包括木材加工、豪华旅游和酒店、增值乳制品、宠物食品和可再生能源。
希望在新西兰进行高质量和生产性投资的投资者会发现我们提供多种形式的支持，包括提供有关商业和监管环境的信息和建议、市场情报、投资机会、政府项目、实地考察和投资后支持。