For immediate release 23 November 2005

Customs opens office in China

In a first for New Zealand, the New Zealand Customs Service yesterday opened an office in Beijing.

The Comptroller of Customs Martyn Dunne officially opened the Office of the Customs Counsellor in a ceremony hosted by the New Zealand Ambassador to China and attended by a number of Chinese dignitaries, including Vice-Minister Gong Zheng of the General Administration of China Customs.

Martyn Dunne said, "We are very excited about the opportunities the Office brings for furthering our close relationship."

Matt Roseingrave, former National Manager (Investigations) for New Zealand Customs Service, has been appointed as the Beijing Customs Counsellor.

"The Customs Counsellor will work with China Customs and New Zealand trade policy officials to support the New Zealand Government's Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the Chinese government," said Mr Dunne.

Working as part of the New Zealand Embassy team, the Customs Counsellor will allow New Zealand officials and traders greater interaction with China Customs and other Chinese government agencies. “Additionally we expect that the Office will also be a useful resource for Chinese and New Zealand traders needing Customs advice,” said Mr Dunne.

The Counsellor will also work with Chinese and other international law enforcement agencies to help combat international criminal activity and address other security concerns. Key among these issues is the increasing amount of methamphetamine precursors being trafficked to New Zealand. "The Office of Customs Counsellor will allow New Zealand and China to join forces to face these challenges together," said Mr Dunne.

The New Zealand Government's interdepartmental Growth and Innovation Framework fund provided the funding for this position, which is located in the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing.

New Zealand Customs Service and China Customs first signed a Customs-to-Customs cooperative arrangement in 1995 and since then the two organisations have worked together extensively at a bilateral, regional and multilateral level.

ENDS

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