Bringing global investment opportunities to NZ

The 20thConvention of Teochew International Federation: Bringing business leaders and global investment opportunities to New Zealand

New Zealand is set to start hosting a prestigious business event later this month, which will be a unique opportunity for the country to promote tourism, commerce, logistics and educational products to nearly 2,000 overseas industry investors.

The 20thConvention of Teochew International Federation will be held in two parts in Auckland -- from March 17 to 19, and from September 27 to 29 later this year -- with a focus on encouraging international business exchange and cooperation.

The international event has been running since 1981 and was originally set up as a networking opportunity for expat Teochew residents from the Chaoshan area of Guangdong Province, China.

Many members are now well-known business leaders from more than 120 countries and regions around the world.

There are 60,000 to 70,000 people formerly from Teochew currently living in New Zealand.

Around 60 million people around the world consider Teochew to be their ancestral home.

The Chao Shan General Association of New Zealand (one of the country’s largest associations, with more than 3,000 registered members) was successful in winning the bid for this year’s hosting rights at the 2017 convention in Indonesia.

Its bid was endorsed in the lead-up to the Indonesian event by the Prime Minister (John Key) and Auckland mayor (Len Brown) at the time, as well as numerous politicians including Phil Goff (now mayor of Auckland), as well Tourism New Zealand and Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development.

The preparatory event later this month will see organisation delegates vote for the next host city, while making final preparations for the larger convention later in the year.

Having 400 leaders expected to attend the March meeting is considered to be a big vote of confidence in New Zealand’s ability to host the looming larger later event.

The Teochew International Federation has a permanent secretariat established in Hong Kong, with a consortium of worldwide business groups. Its main activity is the biennial conference on business and investment. The honorary permanent president is one of the most influential entrepreneurs in Asia,Sir Ka-shing Li,from Hong Kong.

The current chairman of the board of directors of Teochew International Federation is Mr. Yikun Zhang, who is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chao Shan General Association of New Zealand.

The aim of the federation is to contribute to the prosperity and development of each country of residence.

Its origins go back to 1980 when pioneering business leaders and investor groups from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, the United States, Canada, Indonesia and India reached out to each other. At the time some Southeast Asian countries were targeting China with strict trade restrictions, which resulted in many businessmen becoming refugees. The federation was formed to encourage expat Teochew business leaders to help each other out.

The organization has strict regulations and work practices, and has its own website, newsletter and journal. There are more than 100 community member organizations around the world.

The first permanent representative office of mainland China was established in Shenzhen this year.

The Convention of Teochew International Federation is one of the organization's most important activities. It has been held every two years since 1981, when the first meeting was hosted in Hong Kong.

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