Hong Kong CE to visit NZ exporters

Acting Prime Minister Bill English has announced that Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang will visit New Zealand exporters as well as meet our Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Trade next week.

“Mr Tsang is arriving in Auckland on Tuesday to discuss two-way trade and other bilateral issues and to learn about innovations in the export sector.

“He is particularly interested in Auckland’s waterfront revitalisation, in light of Hong Kong’s plans to upgrade its waterfront,” says Mr English.

Mr Tsang will be welcomed by a powhiri at Orakei Marae before visiting New Zealand exporters to Hong Kong, including Cambridge Stud and Zealong, an oolong tea grower near Hamilton.

Hong Kong is New Zealand’s 12th largest export market, with total trade having increased by around 30 per cent in the past five years to close to $1 billion.

The visit will be an opportunity to showcase New Zealand’s capabilities in areas such as food safety and innovation, agri-tourism and high-end food products. It will include a tour of the state of the art plant, Foodbowl, in Auckland, which offers access to technical expertise and batch testing for any business wanting to trial new food and beverage products.

Mr Tsang will meet Trade Minister Tim Groser, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully, Speaker of the House Lockwood Smith, and Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples.

He will also address a business event hosted by the Hong Kong New Zealand Business Association, the Employers and Manufacturers Association and Export New Zealand.

Mr Tsang has been Chief Executive of Hong Kong since 2005 and will be succeeded in July this year by Leung Chung-ying.