Trade Minister Todd McClay says the Government has agreed a negotiating mandate to upgrade the China Free Trade Agreement that will deliver thousands of jobs and be worth billions to our economy. “China is a significant trading partner. Our FTA with China has helped New Zealand companies stay in business during the GFC and keeps Kiwis in jobs,” Mr McClay says. “We currently have $24 billion of two-way trade with this large economy and impressive growth in education, tourism and goods exports.” “Trade means jobs - we know 8500 jobs are created in New Zealand from every billion dollars of…

“Globalization has changed, but in its earlier form, it was principally about opening up the possibilities of economic specialization, economies of scale, and economies of scope.”By Anand Swaminathan for The Politic Dr. Alan Bollard serves as the Executive Director of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), which promotes regional trade, economic growth, and sustainability. As Executive Director, Dr. Bollard presides over economic programs that are mandated by APEC’s leaders and ministers. Before his work with APEC, Dr. Bollard served as Secretary to the New Zealand Treasury from 1998 to 2002 and then Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand from 2002…

Support for TPP11 and the wider trade agenda by the incoming government is crucial for New Zealand now and in the future, says the EMA. The need to speed up the growth of exporting was one of the key recommendations in the EMA 2017 ElectionManifesto. “As a nation we rely heaving on trade for jobs and growth. With a population the size of ours, we need a vibrant exporting sector for New Zealand’s prosperity, says Kim Campbell, CEO, EMA. “Which is why it’s vital whoever is in government in the next term ensures our trade agenda progresses and remains on…

Trade Minister Todd McClay says he is deeply disappointed Queensland is pushing ahead with discriminatory government procurement rules which will unfairly disadvantage and potentially harm New Zealand companies. Mr McClay has today initiated formal consultations with the Australian Federal Government to fight for the fair and balanced trade access that New Zealand companies have a right to expect across the Tasman. “Initiating consultations sends a strong message that the Bill English-led Government will not stand by whilst an Australian state government undermines our mutually beneficial relationship,” Mr McClay says. “The NZ Consulate-General has been engaging with Queensland over the last…

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Trade negotiators from Canada and the United States gathered under rainy skies in Mexico City on Friday to discuss the North American Free Trade Agreement, with the mood darkened by U.S. President Donald Trump's persistent threats to pull out. Teams from the three countries were due to kick off a second round of talks on 25 areas of discussion, with subjects such as digital commerce and small businesses seen as areas where consensus was possible, Mexican officials said. The Sept. 1-5 round will also touch on more thorny topics such as rules governing local content in…

Sistema CEO and Customs .jpgCustoms and Sistema Plastics have signed a partnership under the NZ Customs Secure Export Scheme (SES), endorsing the exporter’s supply chain security standards. Customs and Sistema executives met at the Sistema head office in Auckland to seal the deal with an official Certificate of Partnership. Customs Acting Comptroller Christine Stevenson says New Zealand’s SES gives members greater certainty at international borders and ensures minimal delay. “We recognise the importance of supporting international trade. Sistema is one of the country’s most successful manufacturing businesses, and now exports to more than 80 countries around the world. The Sistema…

"Double the amount of pallets fit onto a container ship" writes Nele Moorthamers Marketing Manager Europe ZESPRI International ( Europe) NV for FreshPlaza. A few months ago Seatrade introduced a new line from New Zealand. "Our kiwis now go to Belgium with the Seatrade Blue," says Nele Moorthamers of Zespri Europe. "This container ship goes to Zeebrugge via Peru and the US, arriving at the BNFW terminal, where the kiwis are unloaded. It will be a set line that will arrive at Zeebrugge every 10 days. The first ship from the new line arrived on August 28. Around 40% of…

KUCHING: New Zealand is keen to further enhance its ties with Sarawak, especially in the areas of education and tourism. Its High Commissioner in Malaysia Dr John Subritzky said given there are many Malaysians coming to New Zealand to study, education is something that his country and Sarawak can work on a lot more. He said tourism between Malaysia and New Zealand had also grown a lot, where many New Zealand tourists are coming to Malaysia and many Malaysian tourists, including Sarawakians, are going to New Zealand. Subritzky said the purpose of his visit to Sarawak is to meet a…

Complex issue of food imports pushes Brussels to bend its rules on not yet talking trade with Britain writes Simon Marks for Politico Brexit negotiators are close to an agreement on a key trade issue that diplomats anticipate will be formally wrapped up at the latest round of Brexit talks next week. With the two sides deadlocked on major stumbling blocks such as how to calculate the U.K.’s financial obligations to the bloc — the so-called Brexit bill — the rapid progress towards an early agreement is the first concrete result from the talks, which have been running since June.…

Writes Allan Golombek  a Senior Director at the White House Writers Group for Real Clear Markets.  The scene in the Hamburg supermarket was stark. Row after row of empty shelves, dotted by a few products made domestically. Edeka supermarkets, the largest supermarket chain in Germany, emptied one store of every last imported good on a weekend. They were making a point. Rather than a protest against openness and diversity, it was an object lesson in the benefits we all derive from those two values. It was a defense of tolerance, but also a reminder that openness to goods and services,…

It is already five months since Theresa May triggered Article 50, thereby serving the mandatory two years’ notice for Britain to leave the EU on 29 March, 2019 writes David Bulk for Yahoo Finance. In that time there have been limited proposals formulated in terms of policy documentation – especially by the UK government. The EU side certainly knows what it wants and most of what we hear this side of the Channel from Juncker, Verhofstadt and Barnier are edicts and demands. Well, Britain’s very own Brexit triumvirate of May, Davis and Fox are back at work from their summer…