4. Question No. 4—Trade and Export GrowthJO LUXTON (Labour) to the Minister for Trade and Export GrowthQuestion No. 4—Trade and Export Growth4. JO LUXTON (Labour) to the Minister for Trade and Export Growth: What progress if any is the Government making on increasing trade and export growth?Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Trade and Export Growth): The coalition Government is making good progress on growing exports. From 2008 to 2016 exports decreased from 30 percent of GDP to 26.6 percent of GDP against the then target of an increase of 14 percent of GDP. In contrast exports have since grown from 26.6 percent to 28.8 percent of GDP in 2018. In 2019 exports are continuing to grow—the March month saw the highest monthly growth in goods exports an increase of 19 percent on the prior March. We're on the volume-to-value journey and it's pleasing to see contributions from high-technology high-value food and beverage as well as the traditional high-quality primary produce. Monthly figures can bounce around but it's very pleasing that we're making substantial progress.Jo Luxton: What export market has seen the strongest growth for New Zealand?Hon DAVID PARKER: The most improved market in March was China with goods exports increasing by 52 percent to $1.5 billion for the month—a new record. I note this came at a time when some in the House were incorrectly claiming that New Zealand's trading relationship with China was on the rocks. This Government continues to build New Zealand's trade relationship with China. Following the Prime Minister's visit to Beijing to meet President Xi last week I took a business delegation to China. We had representatives of some of New Zealand's biggest exports as well as our start-ups. The visit was highly successful. There were productive engagements at both a ministerial and business level and I thank the business leaders for helping make this mission a success.Jo Luxton: What were some of the highlights of the trade mission to China?Hon DAVID PARKER: I had a fruitful and productive bilateral meeting with the Chinese commerce Minister Zhong Shan in Beijing. Following on from the agreement between the Prime Minister and President Xi China and New Zealand are advancing towards a mutually beneficial upgrade of the China free-trade agreement (FTA) as soon as possible. I also met with the environment Minister and we discussed achieving economic growth within environmental limits. Although we're living in turbulent times in the world for trade it's pleasing that we're making progress and that the next round of the FTA negotiations are occurring just this month.Jo Luxton: How has the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership helped support exports to Japan Canada and Mexico—three G20 countries that we previously did not have any bilateral trade agreement with?Hon DAVID PARKER: There's good news there too. Under the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement the exports to Canada have increased in the quarter by an average of 8.4 percent; exports to Mexico have gone up by a similar amount 5.9 percent; and the standout increase has actually been to Japan where meat exports overall are up 25 percent compared with a year ago and beef exports are 40 percent higher.Jo Luxton: What role is the New Zealand Government taking in trying to find a solution to the issues with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Appellate Body?Hon DAVID PARKER: The Appellate Body is very important to our trade our ability to export. We raised these issues in discussions with our Chinese counterparts but in addition to that it's noteworthy that the Government's senior representative to Geneva Mr David Walker has been appointed by the General Council to the World Trade Organization to try and see if a way through can be found between the different views held by different members of the WTO Appellate Body. If that is not resolved by the end of the year the Appellate Body ceases to function.