Jim Sutton: Getting ready for a century of change

COMMENT

China is one of the largest and most powerful nations in the world. If last century was an American century, the 21st century is likely to be a Chinese one.

I have made five visits to China since 2000, most recently when I led a forestry trade mission to Beijing and Shanghai as part of a wider trip including India and Korea. Every time, I have visited a different part of the country, and the scale of this vast nation is astounding.

As New Zealand relies on trade with other countries to maintain and enhance our living standards, China is an obvious partner to suggest a trading alliance. It has a huge population with rising standards of nutrition and housing, and a growing ability to pay. It wants reliable access to our primary products and we want access to its market.

The Government's trade Plan A is the World Trade Organisation's Doha Development Round of negotiations.

But there is always the risk that the tide will turn against multilateralism. Should the Doha round fail, the larger economies - such as Europe, the United States, and China - could turn their backs on that system and set up their own trade blocs.

Small countries, such as New Zealand, and those with least developed economies risk missing out in such a scenario.

So, we have a Plan B - a range of other trade agreements.

It was a pleasure and an honour to be part of the proceedings around first, the visit of Chinese president Hu Jintao, and then, the ceremonies of signing the Trade and Economic Co-operative Framework, at which the proposal to negotiate a trade agreement between New Zealand and China was decided.

Consultation with interested parties is going on, and I encourage anyone who has not yet put in a submission to do so as soon as possible, either through my office at Parliament or directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

We expect the study will be completed by the end of this year, and negotiations are likely to start some time early next year.


New Zealand will be bringing its best to the table. Our negotiating team will be working hard to ensure our national interest is promoted.

I am delighted to attend the morning session of the Gateway to China trade summit, but cannot attend the whole event because of commitments as a Cabinet minister

I think it will be a worthwhile and useful meeting for anyone with an interest in China to attend, particularly in the build-up to negotiations for a trade agreement with China.

China is an important partner for New Zealand, and I want to do everything in my power to enhance that relationship.

* Jim Sutton, Minister for Trade Negotiations


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