Held in November during the China International Import Expo in which New Zealand was the guest of honor.

The forum was co-hosted by the NEXT Federation and the New Zealand Business Roundtable in China, with co-organisation by the China Chamber of Commerce of I/E Foodstuffs, Native Products and Animal By-Products, and Tus-Holdings.  Fonterra and Taishan City served as principal partners, while strategic cooperation was provided by Dong Jiu, NZ Fos+, Heng Yuan Xiang, and Yudu Junyao.  The forum received support from International Business Daily, under the Ministry of Commerce of China.

With the theme “Conquering New Heights”, the forum convened senior executives from leading New Zealand enterprises operating in China, top experts in international relations and industrial collaboration, and prominent brand representatives from both nations.

The event aimed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, industrial investment, and brand development, while exploring New Practices, New Trends, and New Dynamics in China-New Zealand collaboration.  

Professor Wang Yong, from the Department of International Political Economy at Peking University, provided insights into the impact of U.S.-China relations on the global economy and examined the potential for enhanced China-New Zealand collaboration. He observed that the United States is entering a conservative era characterised by an “America First” doctrine, marked by intensified political polarization, protectionist policies, and a growing tendency toward unilateralism that undermines international cooperation.

These shifts, he noted, are underpinned by deepening wealth inequality and other systemic challenges.

David Mahon, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Mahon China Investment Management Ltd., drew on his more than 30 years of experience in fostering China-New Zealand cooperation to share his insights. He emphasised the significant potential for collaboration in areas such as investment, trade, and innovation, even in the face of the challenges posed by globalization.

The forum also attracted the participation of relevant government departments and enterprises from cities and regions such as Jiangmen City in Guangdong Province, Qingdao City in Shandong Province, Chaoyang District in Beijing, and Changzhou City in Jiangsu Province.  Senior executives from well-known Chinese companies such as China Resources (华润), COFCO (中粮), Sanyuan (三元), Heng Yuan Xiang (恒源祥), Dong Wine (董酒), Wai Gao Qiao (外高桥),  attended and engaged in discussions.

After the forum, several New Zealand companies, through NEXT Federation, held discussions and explored cooperation opportunities with relevant local governments and enterprises.

Demand for New Zealand’s premium quality, nutritious and sustainable food, and beverage products remains robust, particularly in categories where the country excels, such as fresh and chilled milk, grass-fed meat, seafood, fruit and wine from renowned production regions.

Additionally, there is growing interest in health and well-being, high-value nutrition, and pet food.

New Zealand businesses are also keen to collaborate with Chinese partners in non-consumer industries, offering expertise in niche areas such as manufacturing, creative industries and technology.  Platforms like CIIE are important for New Zealand companies to build connections and promote their products in the rapidly evolving Chinese market.

New Zealand businesses are increasingly leveraging in-person engagement and digital channels to tell their stories and reach consumers.