Ambassador Wang Xiaolong’s Keynote Speech at the 12th China Business Summit: Steadfast Amid Change, Win-Win Through Cooperation

Summary

On 25 June 2026, Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong attended the 12th China Business Summit in Auckland and delivered a keynote speech. Wang noted that China's economy will maintain steady growth, with growth momentum shifting towards high-quality development, driven by technological innovation as the core engine to cultivate new quality productive forces. According to the 15th Five-Year Plan, China's total R&D expenditure will maintain an average annual growth of over 7%; currently, China holds approximately 60% of global AI patents, and the value added of core digital economy industries accounts for over 10.5% of GDP.

China adheres to the path of peaceful development and upholds multilateralism, while firmly safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, emphasising that the Taiwan question is the core of China's core interests. Regarding China-New Zealand relations, Wang stated that the two economies are highly complementary with cooperation potential not yet fully explored, calling on both sides to work together to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership. The speech also mentioned China's zero-tariff policy for African countries with diplomatic relations, demonstrating an open and cooperative stance.

Wang concluded by stressing that despite the complex international situation, China's attitude and commitment to developing relations with New Zealand remain unchanged.

Commentary

Ambassador Wang Xiaolong's speech sent positive signals. His emphasis on China's economic transformation and green development suggests that New Zealand enterprises may gain more cooperation opportunities in areas such as new energy, electric vehicles, and environmental technology. For instance, China's leading position in AI and the digital economy may offer New Zealand SMEs a window for technology introduction or joint R&D.

Meanwhile, China's commitment to multilateralism and free trade is a positive factor for stable expectations of New Zealand exporters. However, the strong stance on the Taiwan question in the speech requires attention; New Zealand businesses should avoid touching on politically sensitive topics. In addition, the growth in R&D investment may drive cooperation between China and New Zealand in frontier fields such as bio-manufacturing and 6G, but short-term implementation is challenging.

For SME owners, it is recommended to pay attention to the growing demand for green products in China (for example, more Chinese brands have appeared in New Zealand's EV market) and the changing preferences of Chinese consumers for high-quality food and tourism services. In conclusion: China's 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly aims to increase the share of the digital economy. New Zealand's traditional export industries such as dairy and meat can leverage digital marketing and e-commerce platforms to expand their market share in China, while cooperation in technology sectors requires greater emphasis on intellectual property protection.

Keywords: Wang Xiaolong, China Business Summit, China-New Zealand relations, 15th Five-Year Plan, technological innovation, digital economy, green transformation, Taiwan question, R&D investment, win-win cooperation

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs