Hon Tim Groser
Minister of Trade
Minister Responsible for International Climate Change Negotiations

8 August 2011
Media Statement

Minister to visit Indonesia and China

Minister of Trade, Tim Groser leaves for Indonesia tomorrow to pursue closer economic integration with Asia, followed by trade and climate change talks in China.

In Manado Indonesia, Mr Groser will attend the annual meeting of Economic Ministers involving Trade Ministers from the 10 member countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Australia, China, India, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

“Asia is becoming increasingly more important to New Zealand and these talks are aimed at making it easier, more profitable and more predictable for our companies to do business.”

Mr Groser says he will pursue closer regional economic integration under initiatives such as the ASEAN-Australia-NZ Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA), the Comprehensive Economic Partnership in East Asia (CEPEA) and the ASEAN-CER Integration Partnership Forum

In Beijing, Mr Groser meets with Chinese ministers, officials and opinion leaders to discuss trade and economic matters including Asian economic regional integration and the implementation of the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

“Since the China-NZ FTA came into effect in 2008, New Zealand exports to China have increased 144%, which makes China New Zealand’s second largest export market. Total bilateral trade is NZ$12.8b in the year to June 2011 and we’re firmly on track to meet our goal of doubling trade from NZ$10b to NZ$20b by July 2015.”

Mr Groser also plans to discuss climate change with China ahead of the Durban, South Africa meeting in November this year – which will include the 17th Conference of the Framework Convention and the 7th Conference of the Kyoto Protocol.

Following Beijing Mr Groser will travel to Hangzhou, where he will lead an Information and Communications Technology trade mission which is exploring opportunities in China’s rapidly growing ICT market.

ENDS

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