Bennett David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Bennett David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Advance Copy - Subject to minor change before inclusion in Bound Volume.] 
2. 
DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East) 
 to the  
Minister for Economic Development 
: What actions is the Government taking to boost economic linkages with China? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Economic Development) 
: 
 Last Friday I attended the launch by the Prime Minister of the China Strategy which provides a clear direction for Government action over the next 5 years and aims to double two-way trade with China from $10 billion to $20 billion by 2015. Our efforts will focus on sectors with scale and growth capacity: food and beverage agribusiness information and communications technology and high-value manufacturing together with growing services in tourism and international education. Some examples of how we will achieve this include working with exporters on how to do business in China facilitating more direct links to China and negotiation of a fisheries and aquaculture arrangement. 
David Bennett 
: How does the Government’s actions in China fit into its broader economic development strategy? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: In order to provide long-term sustainable jobs and competitive industries businesses must be able to access customers and markets and this is where the Government can assist. In fact it is one of the six key drivers of business growth we are focused on. China is the second strategy to be launched following the launch of the India Strategy last October. In addition to India and China other strategies under development include the US Australia South-east Asia the Middle East and the European Union. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Do the Government’s attempts to boost economic linkages with China include a representative of the Chinese Government making representations to the New Zealand Government on Chinese businesses buying productive New Zealand land? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I am not aware of any such representations. 
David Bennett 
: How important is China to New Zealand’s economy? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: It is very important. China is in fact our second-biggest trading partner now and of course Australia is our largest trading partner. Coincidentally Australia has China as its largest trading partner. The current global economic uncertainty has only reinforced the importance of China to this country. That is why the attitude of the Opposition parties is hard to understand. They claim they want more jobs and better wages— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! The question was from the member’s own colleague and I do not think we need to get into Opposition parties on those grounds. 
Hon Shane Jones 
: Can the Minister confirm that the actions of the Government in relation to China include the dispatching of Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker there? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I think the Mayor of Christchurch went under his own steam. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: If a representative of the Chinese Government did make representations to the New Zealand Government on Chinese businesses buying productive New Zealand land would he be expected to know about it? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: No not specifically and I would remind the member that countries and members of countries make representations to Ministers all the time about all sorts of things.