Sichuan hosts New Zealand session of Multinationals Dialogue in Chengdu

Summary

Sichuan's Bureau of Economic Cooperation, the Auckland Business Chamber and the New Zealand Chinese Business Club jointly hosted the Multinationals Dialogue with Sichuan (New Zealand Session) in Chengdu on 8 September, following up on outcomes from Governor Shi Xiaolin's meeting with New Zealand Trade and Investment Minister McClay in May. More than 20 New Zealand companies organised by the chamber and the club, spanning agriculture, food, creative industries and clean energy, took part, alongside more than 50 representatives from Sichuan cities and prefectures, leading outbound-oriented enterprises and industry associations. The bureau presented Sichuan's economic profile and the opportunities it offers New Zealand business.

Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Simon Bridges and New Zealand Chinese Business Club chairman Dr Yang Jian outlined the chamber's work, New Zealand-Sichuan exchanges and the delegation's visit. Executives from Fonterra, Anfa International and other leading firms held face-to-face meetings with the Sichuan Foreign Affairs Office, the provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangyuan and Neijiang, as well as with Shudao Group, Sichuan Energy Development Group, Sichuan Commerce and Investment Group, Runzhao Fisheries and the Chengdu Cross-Border E-Commerce Association. New Zealand was the first developed Western country to sign a Belt and Road cooperation document.

Two-way goods trade with Sichuan reached RMB 1.45 billion last year and exceeded RMB 900 million in the first seven months of this year, with exports of RMB 460 million and imports of RMB 480 million. New Zealand has established 46 foreign-invested enterprises in Sichuan, with cumulative foreign direct investment of USD 16.84 million. Both sides will use the event to open up new cooperation in deep processing of agricultural products and cold-chain logistics, clean energy and green low-carbon development, technology and advanced manufacturing, and culture, tourism and services trade.

Commentary

The matchmaking event gives small and medium-sized New Zealand firms a physical route into China's western market. Sichuan, the economic hub of the west, traded RMB 1.45 billion in goods with New Zealand last year — a modest base, but a stable one — and the first seven months of this year had already reached RMB 900 million, close to two-thirds of last year's full-year total. The presence of majors such as Fonterra shows there is still room to grow in dairy and agricultural technology in China, while firms with Chinese-community business links, such as Anfa International, demonstrate how local networks can cut the cost of market entry.

On the opportunity side, Sichuan put deep processing of agricultural products, cold-chain logistics, clean energy and creative industries at the centre of the agenda — precisely the areas where smaller New Zealand firms hold differentiated strengths. New Zealand is globally competitive in dairy processing, food preservation and geothermal generation, and could use Chengdu's cross-border e-commerce pilot zone and its position as a Belt and Road node to move product into second- and third-tier cities across central and western China. Yet the scale of the relationship remains limited, and cumulative New Zealand direct investment in Sichuan of just USD 16.84 million suggests past cooperation has been trade-led rather than investment-led.

Smaller firms that rush to build plants or warehouses may confront high fixed costs and local compliance risk. A more pragmatic entry is to partner with majors already established in China or with local business associations — working through the Auckland Business Chamber to match demand from Sichuan's cities and prefectures, starting with short-term trade orders or technology licensing before weighing localised investment in cold chain or processing. The specific interest voiced by Guangyuan, Neijiang and other cities points to opportunities in regional specialty agricultural supply chains, rather than a scramble for saturated first-tier markets.

Two-way trade is now roughly balanced, a sign of healthy flows, and the next openings to watch are clean energy equipment exports and imports of Sichuan specialities into New Zealand.

Keywords: Multinationals Dialogue with Sichuan, New Zealand Session, Sichuan-New Zealand economic and trade cooperation, Sichuan Provincial Bureau of Economic Cooperation, Auckland Business Chamber, New Zealand Chinese Business Club, Fonterra, Belt and Road, total goods import and export, foreign-invested enterprises

Summary in Chinese | 摘要

9月8日，四川省经济合作局联合奥克兰商会、新西兰华商俱乐部在成都共同主办“跨国公司对话四川(新西兰专场)活动”，旨在落实今年5月施小琳省长在成都会见新西兰贸易与投资部长麦克莱的相关成果，推动川新经贸合作提质升级。活动邀请到奥克兰商会、新西兰华商俱乐部组织的20余家新西兰本土企业，涵盖农业、食品、文创、清洁能源等多个新西兰优势产业，四川省内有关市(州)、重点出海企业和商协会代表50余人参会。会上，省经济合作局介绍四川省情和川新合作机遇，奥克兰商会首席执行官西蒙·布里吉斯、新西兰华商俱乐部主席杨健博士分别介绍奥克兰商会、新川交往及此次代表团访川情况。

恒天然、安发国际等行业龙头企业代表与省外事办、省中医药管理局、广元市、内江市等部门和市(州)，以及蜀道集团、省能发集团、省商投集团、润兆渔业、成都市跨境电子商务协会等对新重点合作企业和行业协会开展面对面、点对点务实对接。新西兰是首个签署“一带一路”合作文件的西方发达国家，去年四川与新西兰货物进出口总额达14.5亿元，今年前7个月双方进出口总额超9亿元，其中出口4.6亿元、进口4.8亿元；新西兰在川累计设立外商投资企业(机构)46家，外商直接投资累计到资1684万美元。双方将以此次活动为契机，围绕农产品精深加工与冷链物流、清洁能源与绿色低碳、科技创新与高端制造、文化旅游与服务贸易等重点领域拓展合作新机遇。

Commentary in Chinese | 评论

这场对接活动为新西兰中小企业提供了进入中国西部市场的实体通道。四川作为中国西部经济枢纽，去年与新贸易额14.5亿元，体量虽小但增长稳定，今年前7个月已达9亿元，接近去年全年三分之二。恒天然等巨头参与表明，新西兰乳制品和农业技术在中国仍有拓展空间；而安发国际等华商背景企业则展示了借助本地网络降低市场进入成本的路径。

从机会视角看，四川重点提出农产品精深加工、冷链物流、清洁能源和文创合作，这些正是新西兰中小企业的差异化优势领域。新西兰在乳制品加工、食品保鲜和地热发电技术上具有全球竞争力，可借力成都跨境电商综试区和一带一路节点地位，将产品输往中国中西部二三线城市。但另一视角显示，四川与新西兰贸易规模有限，且新西兰在川累计外商直接投资仅1684万美元，说明以往合作多为贸易而非深度投资，中小企业若贸然设厂或建仓可能面临较高的固定成本和本地化合规风险。

更务实的切入方式是与已在华布局的龙头企业或本地商协会合作，例如通过奥克兰商会对接四川地市州需求，先从短期贸易订单或技术许可切入，再评估是否进行冷链或加工环节的本地化投资。四川广元、内江等地市提出的具体对接意愿，意味着中小企业有机会参与区域特色农产品供应链，而非仅争夺一线城市红海市场。当前川新贸易进出口几乎持平，说明双向流动健康，下一步可关注清洁能源设备出口和四川特色产品进口新西兰的互补机会。

关键词: 跨国公司对话四川, 新西兰专场, 川新经贸合作, 四川省经济合作局, 奥克兰商会, 新西兰华商俱乐部, 恒天然, 一带一路, 货物进出口总额, 外商投资企业

Source: Sichuan Provincial Economic Cooperation Bureau