Yunshijie chairman Xia Yang, head of CCPIT Guangzhou’s NZ liaison office

Summary

New Zealand's Consul-General in Guangzhou, Rachel Crum, visited the Guangzhou office of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) on 24 February, leading a delegation that included Vice-Consul Kerrianne Joe and Trade Consul Veronic Chan. They met CCPIT Guangzhou chairman Yang Yong, deputy chairman Zhang Yan, and Xia Yang, who heads the council's New Zealand liaison office and chairs both New Zealand AFC Group and Yunshijie Network Technology. Yang said China is New Zealand's largest export market and that Guangzhou and New Zealand enjoy close trade ties and complementary industry strengths.

Yunshijie, a B2B exhibition and trade services platform focused on food, has contributed significantly to New Zealand exports to China and to two-way trade in food and agricultural products, he said. Crum noted that New Zealand and China mark 51 years of diplomatic relations and that the two countries enjoy strong diplomatic and economic ties, and said she hoped to deepen cooperation with CCPIT Guangzhou. Xia said AFC Group was the first Chinese-funded company to list in New Zealand.

With support from the New Zealand Consulate-General in Shanghai, it hosted a White Diamond wine tasting and a matchmaking event for New Zealand food and agricultural suppliers and buyers at the fifth China International Import Expo in 2022. New Zealand's ambassador to China, Clare Fearnley, and Consul-General in Shanghai Stephen Wong visited the AFC stand, he said. Crum thanked Xia for his contribution to New Zealand investment and trade, and said she would support AFC Group's business in China and the growth of Yunshijie, and would work to deepen New Zealand-China trade in food and agricultural imports and exports.

The two sides also discussed the participation of New Zealand companies in the RCEP imported food section of the 133rd Canton Fair, which Yunshijie is organising, and related events.

Commentary

The meeting between New Zealand's Consul-General in Guangzhou and officials from CCPIT Guangzhou and Yunshijie shows how food trade with China is being advanced at the provincial level. For small and medium-sized New Zealand exporters, it is more than a diplomatic exchange: it is a signal about market access channels into China. China is New Zealand's largest export market and food and agricultural products account for a substantial share.

Tariffs on dairy, meat and wine have fallen further since RCEP took effect, but smaller exporters are often constrained by distribution networks and compliance costs. Platforms such as Yunshijie, which combines B2B trade with exhibitions and works on a 'one country, one city; one product, one pavilion; one company, one store' model, integrate online and offline resources and take on projects including the RCEP imported food section at the Canton Fair and an extension platform for the China International Import Expo. That gives New Zealand firms a low-cost entry point for showcasing and matchmaking, and is particularly useful for reaching tier-two and tier-three cities.

Companies should nonetheless assess the market soberly. Competition in China's imported food segment is intense, domestic brands are moving upmarket and rivals such as Australia are expanding quickly, so relying on a single platform can weaken bargaining power. Customs registration, Chinese-language labelling and food safety standards are strict, and while exhibiting on a light-asset basis is easy, converting interest into repeat orders still requires investment.

AFC Group, the first Chinese-funded company to list in New Zealand, offers a useful reference for New Zealand suppliers through its government and business networks and operating experience in China, though smaller firms should keep their brands independent and retain control of their channels. With the RCEP section of the 133rd Canton Fair set to open, New Zealand food companies that are interested should contact the trade office of the consulate and Yunshijie early to confirm product eligibility and booth arrangements, and to turn participation into actual purchase enquiries rather than a purely promotional appearance.

Keywords: New Zealand-China trade and economic cooperation, Yunshijie, New Zealand AFC Group, CCPIT Guangzhou, Xia Yang, Rachel Crum, food and agricultural imports and exports, 133rd Canton Fair, China International Import Expo, RCEP imported food section

Summary in Chinese | 摘要

2月24日，新西兰驻广州总领事何瑞秋（Rachel Crum）、副总领事周艳红（Kerrianne Joe）、商务领事陈莉嘉（Veronic Chan）一行莅临广州市贸促会拜访，与贸促会主任杨勇、副主任张彦及贸促会驻新西兰联络处负责人、新西兰AFC集团董事局主席、云食界网络科技有限公司董事长夏阳等会面交流。杨勇表示，中国是新西兰最大出口国，广州与新西兰经贸往来密切、产业优势互补，云食界作为专注食品领域的B2B+展贸服务平台，为新西兰产品对华出口、食品农产品贸易往来做出很大贡献。何瑞秋表示，中新建交已经51周年，两国外交关系良好、经贸关系紧密，希望加强与市贸促会的交流合作。

夏阳介绍，AFC集团是首家华资控股在新西兰上市的中资企业，2022年在新西兰驻上海总领事馆支持下举办白钻石葡萄酒品鉴会、第五届中国国际进口博览会新西兰国家食品农产品供采对接会，新西兰驻华大使傅恩莱、新西兰驻沪总领事Stephen Wong（黄桥进）等曾莅临新西兰AFC展位。何瑞秋感谢夏阳对新西兰投资和贸易所作的贡献，表示愿意支持AFC集团在中国的业务和云食界的发展，深入推进新中食品农产品进出口贸易。双方还就云食界承办的第133届广交会进口展RCEP国家进口食品展区新西兰企业参展及相关活动进行交流。

Commentary in Chinese | 评论

新西兰驻广州总领事与广州贸促会及云食界负责人的会面，折射出中新食品贸易在地方层面的具体推进路径。对NZ中小企业主而言，这不仅是官方互动，更可视为进入中国市场的渠道信号。中国是新西兰最大出口国，食品农产品占据重要份额，RCEP实施后乳制品、肉类、葡萄酒等品类关税进一步降低，但中小型出口商往往受制于分销网络和合规成本。

云食界这类专注食品领域的B2B+展贸平台，以“一国一城、一品一馆、一企一店”模式整合线上线下资源，并承接广交会RCEP进口食品展区、进博会延展平台等项目，为新西兰企业提供了低成本的展示撮合入口，尤其在二三线城市渠道拓展上有实用价值。不过，企业也需清醒评估：中国进口食品市场竞争激烈，本土品牌升级与澳大利亚等对手加速布局，单一平台依赖可能弱化议价能力；同时海关备案、中文标签、食品安全标准等合规要求严格，轻资产参展容易，转化为持续订单仍需投入。AFC集团作为首家华资控股在新西兰上市的企业，其在中国市场的政商资源和运营经验对新西兰供应商有借鉴意义，但中小企业在合作中应保持品牌独立和渠道自主。

第133届广交会进口展RCEP国家展区即将启动，建议有意向的新西兰食品企业提前对接领馆商务处和云食界，确认产品准入资质和展位安排，把展会参与转化为实际采购意向，而非仅作形象展示。

关键词: 中新经贸合作, 云食界, 新西兰AFC集团, 广州市贸促会, 夏阳, 何瑞秋, 食品农产品进出口, 第133届广交会, 中国国际进口博览会, RCEP进口食品展区

Source: Cloud Food World Efoodline