Chinese billionaire Zong Qinghou “firmly believes” the free trade agreement will increase New Zealand’s profile among Chinese entrepreneurs. Zong – boss of China’s largest beverage maker Hangzhou Wahaha based in the thriving coastal province of Zhejiang – says a lot of opportunities will open up between New Zealand and China as a result of the FTA. “Hangzhou is facing competitive …

New Zealand’s CEOs recorded some positivity towards the tax cuts provided in the year past, however just four per cent of respondents predicted the Labour Government would be reelected the following year. A lack of consultation around KiwiSaver policy to compel employers to match employee contributions irked many, while the issues of previous years (such as inflation and skills shortages) …

In the aftermath of the 2005 election, the business community expressed admiration for Prime Minister Helen Clark’s political abilities, but skepticism about Finance Minister Michael Cullen’s plans for economic transformation. A broad range of commercial issues arose in the comments of those surveyed, including the impact of the removal of Telecom’s broadband monopoly, the ramifications of considerable inflation levels, the …