2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and China. Rachel Crump, consul general of New Zealand in Guangzhou, recently shared experiences of exchanges and cooperation between New Zealand and Guangdong province, China.

Crump said Guangdong is New Zealand's largest export destination in China, and 23 percent of China's export trade to New Zealand comes from Guangdong. Guangdong is also New Zealand's largest source of international tourists and international students. It was later highlighted that New Zealand sees many Guangdong investors, which deepens the cooperative relationship between the two.

In 2021, China's trade with New Zealand via Guangdong totaled NZ$5.7 billion ($843 million), an increase of 22 percent year-on-year. Trade with New Zealand via Guangdong accounted for about 14 percent of total bilateral trade with China and Singapore.

E-commerce will become an important area for New Zealand and Guangdong to further develop trade. A lot of Cantonese people use various e-commerce platforms. In the future, it is believed that enterprises on both sides can better cope with cross-border e-commerce transactions by further developing these platforms, according to Crump.

In addition to economic and trade exchanges, many local governments in New Zealand have become Friendship Cities with cities in Guangdong. Crump highlighted that in 1989, Guangzhou and Auckland became Friendship Cities.

In 2014, Auckland, Guangzhou, and Los Angeles formed the Tri-Cities Economic Union. To date, the three cities are working together in a range of areas, including trade, business, investment, as well as climate change and emergency preparedness, Crump said.

In terms of educational exchanges, Guangdong is the largest source of Chinese students studying in New Zealand. 

Crump said she is looking forward to traveling around Guangdong in the future.

Rachel Crump, consul general of New Zealand in Guangzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: GZWS411665430]

The Canton Tower is lit up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and New Zealand. [Photo/WeChat account: GZWS411665430]