Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

China encourages its firms to invest more in NZ

Updated at 9:00 am on 6 August 2011

The Chinese government is encouraging its businesses to invest more heavily in New Zealand.

The political counsellor at the Chinese embassy in Wellington, Cheng Lei, says China wants its businesses to expand globally and New Zealand is an obvious place to invest.

China has been reassuring the world its economy is in no danger of collapsing in the wake of financial crises in the United States and Europe.

Cheng Lei says his Government has a great deal of confidence in New Zealand's systems and its people.

He says Chinese businesses are being encouraged to invest here in strategic assets such as dairy farms.

Deputy Prime Minister Bill English says the Government would welcome further investment from Chinese businesses if it benefited this country.

Mr English says at present Chinese businesses do not own any land in this country and their investment is relatively small.

He said it is difficult for the firms to invest in New Zealand because most of this country's large enterprises are cooperatives and the rest are small and medium enterprises.

Mr English says the Government's tightening of foreign investment rules last year should not put off any Chinese businesses wanting to invest.

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