Kiwiware a hit in Singapore

By SIMON COLLINS

SINGAPORE - Software companies are leading New Zealand businesses into Singapore following the Singapore-NZ free-trade agreement.

A $S600,000 ($790,000) investment in Hamilton company Deep Video Imaging by Singapore's National Science and Technology Board and Plan B Technologies may be only the first of many Singaporean investments in local software businesses.

Plan B chairman Lim Soon Hock said last week that he had been talking to several New Zealand companies "with a view to expanding our portfolio of investments."

"My advice to New Zealand companies is, if you really want to expand, try to find good partners in Singapore. Consider Singapore as a virtual extension of your NZ operation."

Trade NZ's Southeast Asian regional manager, John Nicholson, said there had been a big increase in NZ software companies seeking business in Singapore since November, when Prime Minister Helen Clark and her Singapore counterpart, Goh Chok Tong, signed the free-trade deal. The agreement came into force in January.

Foreign Minister Phil Goff met Dr Goh for a follow-up visit on Friday and said he described NZ-Singapore relations as "better than they have ever been."

Mr Nicholson said NZ companies were also promoting financial management and human-resource software in Singapore.

"NZ business software companies are known as innovative, as being solution-focussed, and having comprehensive, well-integrated programs.

"The plan of the companies is that, if everything works properly, they will be able to market in the region on the basis of pioneer sites in Singapore."

New Zealand had gained a high profile in Singapore by being the first to sign a free-trade deal.

Singapore was now negotiating similar deals with Australia, the US and Japan.

"When you see articles about a free-trade agreement with Australia or Japan, it's always saying that a free-trade agreement was first signed with New Zealand.

"The Government is very strong here and I think there is a bit of a perspective that if the Government has entered into this agreement with New Zealand, they must know something about New Zealand that we may not know, therefore we'd better get to know about it."

Trade NZ is capitalising on this high profile by bringing an investment mission to NZ from Singapore's Economic Development Board and National Science and Technology Board from April 1 to April 3, to be led by board chairman Teo Ming Kian. The focus will be on information technology and biotechnology.

In Singapore, NZ companies will take part in an airport show next month, a defence show in May and the telecommunications show Communicasia in June.

Trade NZ and Singapore's Trade Development Board are teaming up to hold a seminar in Singapore in July and August on investment opportunities in NZ.

Also in August, Singapore Trade and Industry Minister George Yeo will speak in Auckland at a conference which Helen Clark will chair.

New Zealand's High Commissioner in Singapore, David Kersey, said NZ companies now had equal rights with Singapore businesses to bid in all government procurement tenders worth more than $NZ125,000, except for defence items.

"What we need is feedback from NZ companies that are having problems in the Singapore market, because we now have a framework in which we can take up their problems," he said.

"The Singaporeans are now obliged to take us seriously and come to a way of dealing with those problems."