On November 3, HE Ambassador Wang Xiaolong attended the New Zealand Chinese Business Club 2023 Gala Dinner&Awards Ceremony and delivered a keynote speech. This year’s event gathered around 600 New Zealand and Chinese attendees and attracted a wide range of speakers from government and business, including National MP and trade spokesperson Hon. Todd McClay, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, CEO of Auckland Chamber of Commerce Simon Bridges, Chairman of New Zealand Business Club Dr Jian Yang.

（Photo by Vicky Lu）

In his speech, Ambassador Wang advised the stakeholders in the China-New Zealand relationship that when observing the Chinese economy one should look at the big picture and look at the long run. He pointed out, China’s economy has maintained a reasonably strong momentum, remaining a major engine for global economic growth. He recognized that Kiwi businesses have worked hard to cultivate the Chinese Market and built up a reputation for themselves as being green, clean and state-of-the-art. He advised New Zealand businesses to take a long-term view and carefully protect and wisely use their advantages, encouraged them to consolidate what has been achieved, upgrade what is being worked on, forge new drivers for growth, so as to help China-New Zealand economic cooperation to bear even more fruits.

Hon. Todd McClay made some remarks about New Zealand-China trade relations. He stated that China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner, major source of tourists and international students, and an important investor in New Zealand. China will play a very important part in delivering National’s commitment to double the value of trade exports from New Zealand to countries all over the world over the next ten years.

（Photo by Vicky Lu）