"We very glad we come through the difficulties," says Jiang."This is just a beginning and not the end for Pengxin and other companies that come.
"We take the first lead and I am sure more and more Chinese companies follow."
Jiang hopes to have an informal roundtable dialogue between the Prime Minister and his core delegation and senior members of the Shanghai Entrepreneurs Association, which is the host party for the event.
Earlier this year, he floated the notion of establishing a major incubator in Shanghai for Kiwi companies to use as a landing pad in China.
The Pengxin executive said the luncheon would be a good opportunity to get feedback from the NZ counterparts. 'It is still developing, and support from all circles needs to be obtained before we can really move on, including that from both of our governments.
Details of the Miraka negotiations have been held tightly under wraps.
Terry Lee, a director of Milk New Zealand, says milk from just four of the 16 Crafar farms will go to Miraka's planned $20 million UHT plant.
The balance of the Crafar milk supply will stay with Fonterra for the next season.
The UHT operation is expected to be up-and-running early next year. Infant formula products will follow at a later stage.
Milk NZ has also held preliminary talks with Open Country Dairy and Westland Milk.
But the interesting play is the talks the Chinese company has had with Central North Island iwi over the potential for major dairy conversions on forestry land, and a central processing plant.
Lee says the feasibility study is at an early stage, but a memorandum of understanding may be signed in Shanghai.
But though Pengxin's signing ceremonies appear to have been coming together, plans for China's largest dairy company Yili, to hold a ceremony in Beijing's Great Hall of the People to mark its $214 million acquisition of Oceania Dairy appear to have fallen through. A fallback option for Yili to meet the Prime Minister at another venue was being explored.
The Overseas Investment Office approved both the Yili and the $212 Yashili deal (see page 19) just prior to Easter.
One player associated with the Yili acquisition was highly critical of the OIO's tardiness, saying it had been in front of officials for three months and took much longer to approve than from the Chinese side.
The latest OIO approvals mean there are now four major Chinese players in the New Zealand dairy space. Other significant acquisitions include Haier's takeover of 100 per cent of Fisher & Paykel Appliances, Agria's 51 per cent holding in PGG Wrightson and from a Greater China perspective, Li Ka-Shing's acquisitions of EnviroWaste and the Wellington lines company.
Maori incorporations met with significant Chinese players during a mission to China last year.
CNI Holdings chairman Matt Te Pou met with China National Buildings Materials to discuss forestry projects the central North Island.
The China Development Bank's Shanghai president Guo Lian was reported to be very interested in financing the city's reconstruction.
Maori have a growing presence in the dairy industry in particular Options such as the co-leasing of land, in order to prevent the passing of ownership, are highlighted as possible solutions moving forward.
A report Growing the Productive Base of Maori Freehold Land estimates that lifting productivity to average industry benchmarks could result in an additional $8 billion in gross output and 3600 new jobs for the primary sector. To achieve the estimated gains, an investment in the land of just under $3 billion would be required. The potential for Maori freehold land represents an opportunity for Maori, the wider primary sector and New Zealand as a whole," says Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy. "The report confirms that some iwi are well organised and have their asset base generating good returns, while others haven't realised their true potential yet.
"It is ultimately up to Maori to work out how to realise that potential, but Government has an important role partnering with Maori as leaders in driving a change. The proposed reforms to the Te Ture Whenua Maori Act announced by Minister for Treaty Settlements Chris Finlayson and Minister of Maori Affairs Dr Pita Sharples will be an important step towards unlocking this potential.
