Ambassador Wang Xiaolong addresses Māori-China business dinner hosted by Te Taumata

Summary

Ambassador Wang Xiaolong addressed a Māori-China business exchange dinner in Wellington on 14 September, hosted by New Zealand Māori trade organisation Te Taumata. About 30 people attended, including representatives of Māori enterprises from across the North and South Islands and representatives of Chinese companies investing in New Zealand, among them Bank of China, ICBC, China Construction Bank and Hunan Construction Investment. Wang said China and Māori have a long history of exchanges and deep ties.

The Māori economy is an important part of the New Zealand economy and plays a significant role in promoting China-New Zealand bilateral trade and economic cooperation, he said. This year is the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan and also APEC China Year. China remains committed to high-level opening up and provides broad opportunities for partners around the world, including Māori enterprises.

Wang encouraged Māori enterprises to deepen cooperation with Chinese companies and make greater contributions to the development of China-New Zealand relations.

Commentary

The Māori economy operates through trusts and collective ownership and covers high-value exports including dairy, honey, seafood and forestry. Tourism and cultural experience services are also rising within China-New Zealand services trade. As a Māori trade promotion body, Te Taumata's engagement with the Chinese embassy and with Chinese banks and companies is essentially about building a channel for Māori SMEs to connect with Chinese market resources.

On the opportunities, the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan and APEC China Year emphasise high-level openness, potentially driving bilateral trade facilitation — particularly by reducing non-tariff barriers in categories such as mānuka honey, seafood, beef and lamb. New Zealand branches of Bank of China, ICBC and China Construction Bank can provide trade finance and cross-border RMB settlement, easing cash-flow pressure on Māori enterprises. On the challenges, Māori SMEs generally lack brand recognition and distribution networks in the Chinese market.

They also need to meet China's registration, labelling and organic certification requirements for imported food, while some products face price competition from suppliers in other countries. The dinner's substantive outcomes remain to be seen. If concrete supply-demand matchmaking or a memorandum of cooperation follows, it would mark a step by the Māori economy from resource exports to branded cooperation with China.

Keywords: Ambassador Wang Xiaolong, Māori trade organisation Te Taumata, Māori-China business exchange dinner, Wellington, China-New Zealand trade and economic cooperation, 15th Five-Year Plan, APEC China Year, high-level opening up, Māori enterprises, Chinese enterprises

Summary in Chinese | 摘要

9月14日，王小龙大使应邀出席新西兰毛利贸易组织Te Taumata在惠灵顿举办的毛利—中国商界交流晚宴并致辞。新西兰北岛、南岛多家毛利企业代表，以及在新投资的中行、工行、建行、湖南建投等中资企业代表约三十人参加。王小龙在致辞中指出，中国与毛利人的交往源远流长，双方结下深厚情谊；毛利经济是新西兰经济的重要组成部分，在促进中新双边经贸合作中发挥重要作用。

今年是中国“十五五”规划开局之年，也是APEC中国年，中国坚持高水平对外开放，为包括毛利企业在内的世界各国合作伙伴提供广阔机遇。王小龙鼓励毛利企业与中国企业深化合作，为中新关系发展作出更大贡献。

Commentary in Chinese | 评论

毛利经济以信托和集体所有权形式运营，覆盖乳制品、蜂蜜、海鲜、林业等高价值出口品类，旅游和文化体验服务也在中新服务贸易中逐步上升。Te Taumata作为毛利贸易促进机构，此次与中国大使馆及中资银行、企业的交流，实质是为毛利中小企业对接中国市场资源搭建通道。从机遇看，中国“十五五”规划开局和APEC中国年强调高水平开放，可能推动双边贸易便利化，尤其在麦卢卡蜂蜜、海产品、牛羊肉等品类上降低非关税壁垒；中行、工行、建行在新西兰分支可提供贸易融资和人民币跨境结算，缓解毛利企业资金周转压力。

从挑战看，毛利中小企业普遍缺乏中国市场的品牌认知和分销网络，还需应对中国进口食品的注册、标签和有机认证要求，且部分产品面临来自其他供应国的价格竞争。此次晚宴的实质成果尚待观察，若后续出现具体供需对接或合作备忘录，将标志着毛利经济从资源出口向品牌化对华合作迈出一步。

关键词: 王小龙大使, 毛利贸易组织Te Taumata, 毛利—中国商界交流晚宴, 惠灵顿, 中新经贸合作, 十五五规划, APEC中国年, 高水平对外开放, 毛利企业, 中资企业

Source: Chinese Embassy in New Zealand – New Zealand-China Relations