China and New Zealand Trade on Track for $20 Billion by 2015

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister John Key have reconfirmed the target of doubling two-way goods trade between their nations to $NZ20 billion by 2015. ‘Businesses are on track to achieve this, and my meeting with President Xi provided an opportunity to reconfirm that target,’ the New Zealand Prime Minister said. The commitment came during Prime Minister Key’s high powered ministerial and trade visit to China to mark the fifth anniversary of the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA of that China signed with any developed country. President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Key also agreed to boost relations between the two countries, says The People’s Daily. President Xi expressed his appreciation for New Zealand’s efforts and stressed that China values and cherishes its friendship with New Zealand,  The People’s Daily said. Prime Minister Key and President Xi agreed their countries should seek to cooperate in agricultural technology, food safety, energy conservation and environmental protection, as well as in the creative industries and financial sectors. Prime Minister Key was reported in The People’s Daily as expressing expressed his appreciation for the development of relations between the two countries, noting that New Zealand attaches great importance to its comprehensive partnership with China and respects China’s core interests. He said that the New Zealand government welcomes Chinese investment and will explore opportunities for cooperation in the forestry and dairy industries. New Zealand will also open a new diplomatic post in western China and expand the education staff in Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai, The People’s Daily said. ‘These decisions reflect the range and growth of New Zealand political, trade, tourism and education interests in China and will support their further development,’ Prime Minister Key said.