Twenty NZ Firms Head to Chongqing in Search of Multi-Sector Partnerships

Summary

About 20 New Zealand business representatives attended a China (Chongqing)-New Zealand business matchmaking conference in Chongqing on 14 September, with the two sides exchanging views on agriculture, tourism, the ice and snow economy and construction technology. Sarah Samawati, director of the skincare division at New Zealand's Totika Health Ltd, said the company hopes to connect with Chinese skincare and food distributors and investors, build long-term partnerships with local firms and continue expanding its export markets for skincare products and honey. Simon Bridges, chief executive of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, said the delegation numbered about 20 representatives from a range of industries, and that the group hopes to learn about the Chongqing market through visits and exchanges and to find cooperation opportunities through investment and bringing in industries.

Jiang Yiming, general manager of New Zealand's CMJ International Ltd, said the company's business covers ice and snow sports, alpine tourism, asset management and international communications, and that it is committed to cross-border integration of Chinese and New Zealand alpine resources. It hopes to advance projects such as the construction and operation of ice and snow venues, helping Chongqing's ice and snow economy move towards broader coverage, year-round operation and higher-end development. Yang Jian, chairman of the New Zealand Chinese Business Club, said Chongqing's night views left a deep impression on him, and that the city's economic development, openness and overseas profile provide a foundation for firms from both places to seek cooperation.

Ye Lina, deputy director of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce, said at the meeting that economic and trade exchanges between Chongqing and New Zealand are growing closer, and that the two sides can expand cooperation in two-way trade in consumer goods, cross-border e-commerce, agricultural technology, industrial chain collaboration, green and low-carbon development and infrastructure. She said New Zealand dairy products, beef and lamb and health products are popular with Chongqing consumers, while high-end motorcycles, quality agricultural machinery and specialty foods made in Chongqing are favoured by New Zealand consumers. She expressed the hope that firms on both sides will improve supply chains so that more New Zealand consumer goods can enter the Chongqing market and Chongqing specialty products can reach New Zealand.

Commentary

The visit by about 20 New Zealand business representatives to Chongqing in search of multi-sector cooperation reflects a China-New Zealand trade relationship that is extending from traditional agricultural and pastoral trade into more diversified, higher-value areas. As a consumer centre and manufacturing hub in western China, Chongqing offers New Zealand SMEs an incremental market beyond the coastal first-tier cities, with a population of 30 million and rapidly growing import demand. Totika Health, for example, is targeting consumption upgrading in China's second- and third-tier cities with its skincare and honey export strategy, but it must contend with channel pressure from domestic natural skincare brands and Australian competitors.

A cross-border e-commerce bonded warehouse model is worth considering to lower the cost of trial and error. In the ice and snow economy, CMJ International is pushing cross-border integration of alpine resources, but Chongqing's hot summers and the high operating costs of ice and snow venues mean it should draw on Queenstown's experience in four-season tourism operations and design non-snow-season mountain activities to improve asset utilisation. The Auckland Chamber of Commerce's delegation shows New Zealand firms are moving from pure exporting towards investment and industrial cooperation, but they need to weigh Chongqing's logistics advantages under the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor against inland transport costs.

The Chongqing commerce commission has proposed two-way trade in consumer goods. New Zealand dairy, beef and lamb already have recognition in Chongqing, but cold-chain distribution and terminal price control remain key thresholds for smaller brands seeking to enter local supermarkets such as Yonghui and Hema. Chongqing's exports of high-end motorcycles and agricultural machinery to New Zealand, meanwhile, signal that NZ SMEs should watch the competitive pressure from Chinese manufacturing on value for money and customisation, especially in farm machinery, where local dealers may face disruption from Chinese brands selling direct.

The matchmaking conference did not involve specific signed amounts, so project conversion rates will need to be watched, but it at least gives New Zealand firms a low-cost entry point to China's western market.

Keywords: China-New Zealand business matchmaking conference, Chongqing, New Zealand companies, ice and snow economy, consumer goods trade, cross-border e-commerce, agricultural technology, Auckland Chamber of Commerce

Summary in Chinese | 摘要

9月14日，中国（重庆）—新西兰经贸对接会在重庆举行，吸引约20位新西兰企业代表参加，双方围绕农业、旅游、冰雪经济、建筑技术等领域展开交流。新西兰托蒂卡健康有限公司肌肤护理事业部董事莎拉·萨马瓦蒂表示，公司希望接触中国的护肤品和食品经销商、投资者，与当地企业建立长期合作关系，继续扩大护肤品和蜂蜜的出口市场。新西兰奥克兰商会首席执行官西蒙·布里吉斯介绍，此次到访重庆的企业代表约有20人，来自多个行业，代表团希望借参访和交流了解重庆市场情况，并通过投资、引入产业等方式寻找合作机会。

新西兰CMJ国际有限公司总经理姜懿明说，公司业务涉及冰雪体育、高山旅游、资产管理和国际传播，致力于推动中国与新西兰高山资源的跨境整合，希望推动冰雪场馆建设、运营等项目落地，助力重庆冰雪经济向覆盖更广、全年运营和高端化方向发展。新西兰华商俱乐部主席杨健提到，重庆夜景给他留下深刻印象，重庆的经济发展、对外开放程度和海外知名度为两地企业寻找合作提供了基础。重庆市商务委员会副主任叶力娜在会上表示，重庆与新西兰的经贸往来日益密切，双方可以从消费品双向贸易、跨境电商、农业科技、产业链协作、绿色低碳和基础设施等方面扩大合作空间。

她指出，新西兰乳制品、牛羊肉和保健品受到重庆消费者欢迎，重庆生产的高端摩托车、优质农机和特色食品也受到新西兰消费者青睐，希望双方企业改进供应链，让更多新西兰消费品进入重庆市场，也让重庆特色产品走向新西兰。

Commentary in Chinese | 评论

新西兰约20位企业代表赴渝寻求多领域合作，折射出中新经贸关系正从传统农牧产品贸易向多元化、高附加值领域延伸。重庆作为中国西部消费中心和制造业重镇，其3000万人口规模和快速增长的进口需求，为新西兰中小企业提供了除沿海一线城市外的增量市场。以托蒂卡健康为例，其护肤品和蜂蜜出口策略瞄准中国二三线城市消费升级，但需注意中国本土天然护肤品牌和澳洲竞品的渠道挤压，建议通过跨境电商保税仓模式降低试错成本。

冰雪经济方面，CMJ国际推动高山资源跨境整合，但重庆夏季高温、冰雪场馆运营成本高，需借鉴新西兰皇后镇四季旅游运营经验，设计非雪季山地活动以提升资产利用率。奥克兰商会率团考察，表明新西兰企业正从单纯出口转向投资和产业合作，但需评估重庆在西部陆海新通道中的物流优势与内陆运输成本之间的平衡。重庆商务委提出消费品双向贸易，新西兰乳制品、牛羊肉在渝已有认知度，但冷链分销和终端价格管控仍是中小品牌进入永辉、盒马等本地商超的关键门槛。

重庆高端摩托车和农机出口新西兰，则提示NZ SME可关注中国制造在性价比和定制化上的竞争压力，尤其在农用机械领域，新西兰本地经销商可能面临中国品牌直销模式的冲击。此次对接会未涉及具体签约金额，后续需观察项目落地率，但至少为新西兰企业提供了接触中国西部市场的低成本入口。

关键词: 中新经贸对接会, 重庆, 新西兰企业, 冰雪经济, 消费品贸易, 跨境电商, 农业科技, 奥克兰商会

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