New Zealand Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has reaffirmed the strength of the China-New Zealand bilateral relationship in an exclusive interview with 21st Century Business Herald.
McClay projected that two-way trade will reach NZ$43 billion this year — a dramatic increase from just a few billion dollars when the original FTA was signed.
He highlighted that bilateral FTA service trade upgrade negotiations are progressing well, with both sides committed to expanding cooperation in services, digital trade, and investment.
The upgraded FTA protocol, in force since April 2022, has already granted NZ expanded market access across 22 new service sectors.
McClay also noted that Chinese new energy vehicles are becoming increasingly popular among NZ consumers amid fuel price volatility.
新西兰贸易与投资部长托德·麦克莱在接受《21世纪经济报道》独家专访时重申了中新双边关系的强劲势头。
麦克莱预计，今年双边贸易额将达到430亿新西兰元——与原始自贸协定签署时仅几十亿纽元的规模相比，实现了大幅增长。
他强调，双边自贸协定服务贸易升级谈判进展顺利，双方致力于扩大在服务、数字贸易和投资领域的合作。
自2022年4月生效的升级议定书已为新西兰在22个新服务领域扩大了市场准入。
麦克莱还指出，在燃料价格波动背景下，中国新能源汽车在新西兰消费者中越来越受欢迎。
Comment:
The NZ$43 billion milestone reflects deepening economic interdependence between China and New Zealand.
While some voices advocate trade diversification, the reality is that China remains NZ's largest trading partner by a significant margin.
The FTA upgrade in services is particularly forward-looking — it positions NZ to capture value in China's growing services economy.
The popularity of Chinese EVs in NZ also signals expanding trade beyond traditional commodities.
We remain constructive on the long-term trajectory of NZ-China trade relations.
430亿纽元的里程碑反映了中新之间日益深化的经济相互依存关系。
尽管有人呼吁贸易多元化，但现实是中国仍是新西兰最大的贸易伙伴，且领先优势显著。
服务贸易升级尤其具有前瞻性——它使新西兰能够在中国不断增长的服务经济中获取价值。
中国电动汽车在新西兰的受欢迎程度也表明贸易正在超越传统商品领域。
我们对中新贸易关系的长期走势持积极态度。