China

The Australian is today reporting that Australia is on track to sign free-trade agreement with China at about the time of the November G20 meeting in Brisbane, after the latest round of negotiations left senior ministers believing the deal can be clinched by the end of the year. The Oz story hedges bets somewhat about where the expected signing will …

Fonterra Cooperative Group will offer a premium of at least 20 percent for a one-fifth stake in Beingmate Baby & Child Food as part of a $615 million investment in a partnership to drive baby food sales into China. Fonterra will offer 18 yuan a share for Beingmate stock in a partial tender offer that will be supported by chairman Wang Zhentai, …

It’s high-stakes for Fonterra and its more than 10,000 farmer shareholders as the dairy cooperative tries to halt Danone’s multimillion-dollar action in the High Court at Auckland. The French food conglomerate wants compensation for alleged damages of the more than half a billion dollars it claims to have suffered as a result of last year’s botulism scare. The scare ultimately …

Broadcasting Minister Craig Foss met with Chinese officials negotiating the China-NZ television co-production agreement in China today. Negotiations began in 2010, when New Zealand and China signed a film-only co-production agreement. Mr Foss met with Vice Minister Nie Chen Xi in Beijing to discuss the benefits of television production collaboration between the two countries.. ?New Zealand is now on track …

By Brierley Penn “Think global, but act local,” said Christopher Luxon, of Air NZ, citing the need to have intimate knowledge of individual markets in order to be internationally successful. In 2013, then CEO of the airline was building a focus on using local marketing to connect to customers, recognizing that a one size fits all approach can never be …

By Brierley Penn In 2012, China became the largest outbound market of any in the world, growing 40 per cent relative to the 2011 period. In the next 12 months, China had become the second most important travel market for New Zealand, said Kevin Bowler, CEO of Tourism NZ, with Chinese visitors to NZ spending $645m each year. However, Bowler …

By Brierley Penn “New Zealand brand perception has been created over the past 100 years,” said Marco Marinkovich, CEO of Creative Bank at the 2013 China Business Summit. “Perception is reality.” “If I said Ronald Regan, you would think Watergate. If I said Bill Clinton, you would think Monica. If I said Lance Armstrong, you would think drug cheat.” It …

By Tim Groser First, I would like to congratulate the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, NZ Inc and all the agencies and sponsors for putting this event together. I know and have worked with many of you on the New Zealand side over the years either on the China relationship or closely related matters. Many of you are genuine China specialists. …

By Brierley Penn Cathy Quinn, Chair of Minter Ellison Rudd Watts, shared her success strategies for Chinese investment transactions in New Zealand at the China Business Summit this morning. Most importantly, she reminded the audience that it is vital to both understand and invest in your relationship with Chinese counterparts. “We’re the little guys, so we need to understand how …

By Brierley Penn “I think that we are world class in manufacturing and in food safety, but we have to lift our game,”said Theo Spierings, CEO of Fonterra, at today’s China Business Summit, held in Auckland. “We have to become the NASA of food safety and quality.” Spierings brought a message of collaboration and unity in rebuilding New Zealand’s reputation …