China hesitant about pine

By PAM GRAHAM

The inclusion of radiata pine in China's building code has so far had no spinoffs for New Zealand.

China added the species in a new building code after lobbying from New Zealand but has tagged it as a fast-growing species.

New Zealand is now trying to get the wood accepted more widely, including working with Chinese authorities on a handbook for wood construction.

"Until market access under the building code is definitively secured, our ability to identify new commercial opportunities will be hampered," said Devon McLean, New Zealand Forest Industries Council chairman.

"They have not provided any guidelines for what a fast-growing species means," he said.

McLean welcomed moves towards a free-trade agreement with China, New Zealand's fifth largest market for forest and wood products.

The inclusion of Pinus radiata in the code was seen as a vital step to opening the Chinese market to wood as a structural building material.

China mostly uses concrete construction or hardwoods.

The code and the trade agreement was of huge strategic importance to New Zealand, he said.