Talking Timber Trade With China

Trade and education opportunities are starting to emerge from the Far North’s sister city relationship with China’s Liaoning province.

The opportunities have evolved from Council links with the Liaoning Government, as well as from an innovative overseas student recruitment programme initiated by Kerikeri High School.

The school initiative led by its Director of International Students, Grant Berry, and a former Chinese national now living in Kerikeri, Ziyang Liao, has already resulted in the enrolment of two students from Liaoning under a joint Council and school scholarship.

Now, relationships forged in the education sector are being tested in the commercial arena.

Mr Ziyang has initiated talks about the potential for value-added exports of Northland timber to China through his business contacts there.

Far North Mayor Wayne Brown has met with Mr Ziyang and been encouraged by early signs of interest in developing economic relations.  A trade break-through in the forestry sector would more than justify the relationships developed through the Sister City Programme, he says.

“The Council’s role in both the student recruitment programme and in getting talks going on timber exports has been that of a facilitator.

However, neither of these opportunities would have been possible without the contacts and relationships that have evolved from the Sister City programme.”