KEY POINTS:
With a freshly minted Chinese free trade agreement stowed in the briefcase New Zealand is gearing up for the biggest global expo event ever staged.
The Shanghai World Expo will be held between May and October in 2010 and is expected to attract 70 million people to a 5.3sq km site.
New Zealand will be one of 200 countries on show, with a 2000sq m pavilion, more than four times bigger than at the previous expo in 2005 in Japan and with a projected budget of $30 million.
The New Zealand pavilion is also situated in a prime location, right beside our new best trading friend, China.
Commissioner-General Phillip Gibson, who is also Ambassador to Indonesia, was in New Zealand this month talking to potential stakeholders.
The political imperative for Shanghai was greater than it had been for Aichi, Gibson said at a meeting held in Auckland.
"The re-emergence of China, what it means for the world, for the region and for New Zealand is one of the most important issues for the next several decades," he said. "China is increasingly critically important to New Zealand's economic well being."
Shanghai would be an opportunity for Kiwi business interests to entertain clients, he said.
"It's a no brainer, we've got to be there and we've got to be there in style."
The free trade agreement heightened the importance of the expo for New Zealand and the pavilion would showcase the country, he said.
"An expo is a trade fair, it's an education fair, it's an investment fair, it's a cultural fair, it's all of that wrapped into one."
Initially New Zealand had not particularly wanted to attend the previous expo at Aichi but it had proved to be a great success, achieving media exposure with an equivalent advertising value of about $200 million.
"We are planning for a very substantial involvement by the New Zealand business community and other interested groups in New Zealand," Gibson said.
The theme at the Shanghai World Expo would be "better cities, better living". New Zealand could contribute to the theme of the event, considering about 85 per cent of the population live in urban environments, Gibson said.
The country would be presented as smart, innovative, clean and green, and a compelling tourism and education destination.
Kapa haka groups would perform throughout the event, visits by naval ships and other Government activity was likely and the organisers would look at taking other artists to Shanghai for special performances, for instance the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
"As usual we are going to have to punch above our weight," Gibson said. "We did that three years back at the World Expo in Aichi, Japan, but this time the bar is going to be that much higher."
Export New Zealand chief executive Bob Walters said much of the expo was about how New Zealand was perceived and positioned in the market place, while the free trade agreement had given New Zealand huge credibility.
"It's awareness of New Zealand, the fact that it's recognised and that's what part of the [free trade agreement] does, it makes it easier to deal with Government and officials and technical rules and regulations when you're on the radar screen than when you're not."
Export New Zealand would help organisers to encourage business to use the expo, get involved in the corporate side "and generally leverage it for best business outcomes really".
SHANGHAIWORLD EXPO
* To be held between May and October 2010.
* 70 million visitors are expected to attend.
* 200 countries and 30 cities will be on show.
* 5.3sq km site in Shanghai.
* More than 40,000 visitors a day expected at the New Zealand pavilion.
