The China Zhejiang – New Zealand Trade and Investment Symposium takes place in Auckland, New Zealand on May 24. [Photo provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]

A delegation of 60 companies from East China's Zhejiang province visited Auckland, the largest city of New Zealand, on May 24 with the purpose of advancing economic exchanges and cooperation with the country.

The China Zhejiang – New Zealand Trade and Investment Symposium, initiated by the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), held a platform for companies from both countries to hold discussions and seek possible opportunities for further connections.

Chen Xiaoping, vice chairman of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, summarized the province's achievements and developments in the areas of the private economy, the marine economy, manufacturing and e-commerce.

"In recent years, Zhejiang and New Zealand have conducted a lot of economic and trade exchanges," Chen said, citing the latest economic numbers, "In 2017, the trade volume between the two regions reached $1.61 billion, up 8 percent year-on-year."

"Last year, New Zealand invested $520 million to establish 189 companies in Zhejiang while the number of companies that Zhejiang invested to set up in New Zealand in 2017 was 19, with a total investment of $85.22 million," Chen said that there are still opportunities for closer bilateral cooperation in trade and investment.

Mike Arand, China business development advisor at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), the country's economic development and trade promotion agency, stressed the robust growth of the cooperation between China and New Zealand in the past four decades, especially in the sectors of trade, the economy, investment, tourism and education. He said in the future, NZTE will help companies explore the Chinese market by developing a China-oriented e-commerce system.

Companies from different industries such as manufacturing, textiles, traditional Chinese medicine, tourism and energy had face-to-face talks with their counterparts at the symposium.

Meanwhile, the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of CCPIT announced plans to set up a liaison office in New Zealand in order to further facilitate the exchanges between the two regions.

"Zhejiang has great potential in e-commerce and foreign trade. The province has released a range of preferential policies for inward investment and is continuously adjusting its industrial structure," said Wu Guiying, chairwoman of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of CCPIT, hoping the office could strengthen the ties between Zhejiang and New Zealand.

Wu Guiying, chairwoman of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of CCPIT, introduces Zhejiang's overall development of trade and investment at the symposium in Auckland, New Zealand on May 24. [Photo provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]

Companies from Zhejiang and New Zealand have talks at the symposium in Auckland, New Zealand on May 24. [Photo provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]