Tough schedule for Auckland trade mission

News Release
Office of the Mayor

7 October 2012

Tough schedule for Auckland trade mission to Korea and Taiwan

The Mayor and delegates of 17 Auckland businesses and organisations face a tough schedule on a five-city trade mission to Korea and Taiwan when they arrive in the first city on their schedule, Busan in Korea, early tomorrow New Zealand time.

Busan is the fifth biggest seaport in the world and Korea's second biggest city with a metropolitan population of 4.4 million. Busan has a sister city relationship with Auckland and sent representatives to the Sea Edge symposium of international waterfront cities held at the Viaduct Events Centre earlier this year.

Tomorrow's schedule includes eight separate appointments including a courtesy call with Busan Mayor, Hur Nam-Sik

Len Brown says the 12-day trade mission which coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Korea will open doors for Auckland businesses in the two key Asia-Pacific economies.

“These are dynamic economies in what many commentators identify as the key region in the global economy now and in the coming years. It is important Auckland has connections and visibility in these markets,” says the Mayor.

“Our recently launched Economic Development Strategy [EDS] identifies the need for Auckland to become a thriving Asia-Pacific innovation-driven business hub, working in partnership with other council organisations, central government, and our private sector partners to achieve this. Trade missions like this are integral to that goal,” says Len Brown.

Businesses participating are from amongst EDS priority sectors – infrastructure, ICT, investment, export education, and screen. They are from sectors that together represent 36 per cent of the Auckland economy.

“The aim of this mission is to provide tangible, productive opportunities for Auckland businesses in the Korean and Taiwanese markets, and to strengthen our strategic ties with our partner cities and the economic and political centres of Seoul and Taipei.”

Councillor Arthur Anae will support the Mayor and delegation in Korea and Councillor George Wood in Taiwan. Mayors and local government officials are highly respected in Asia, and being part of a mayoral-led delegation will give Auckland businesses access they may not have independently.

Delegates will participate in a range of tailored business sector meetings, site visits, business briefings and forums, official receptions and networking functions. The Mayor will also meet key city officials.

Employers and Manufacturers Association Chief Executive Kim Campbell says missions like this are a good way for Auckland businesses to connect with international markets.

“Doors open to places most people don’t know exist when you travel with the Mayor of a major city like Auckland. If we are going to meet our growth and prosperity aspirations for Auckland we are going to have to find new sources of revenue and investment, and top-level trade missions are a superb way to make commercial and political connections. I encourage Auckland business to support Mayor Len Brown’s mission to Asia.”

The mission is organised by Auckland Council and supported by Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development (ATEED), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), the Consulate of the Republic of Korea in Auckland, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Wellington and the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei, and Auckland’s partner cities of Busan, Pohang and Taichung.

• Korea is New Zealand’s 5th largest bilateral trading partner, with two-way trade of NZ$3.14 billion (year ending June 2012).

• Negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with Korea are currently underway.

• Korea is the 7th largest inbound visitor market with 52,464 Korean visitor arrivals to New Zealand (year ending August 2012).

• Korea is the second largest source of fee-paying students in Auckland (year ending December 2010).

• Approximately 25,000 Korean people live in the Auckland region and 15,308 New Zealand residents visited Korea (year ending April 2012).

New Zealand and Taiwan:

• Taiwan is New Zealand’s 12th largest export market with two-way trade of NZ$1.63 billion (year ending June 2012).

• Taiwan and New Zealand (through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Wellington and the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei) recently commenced negotiations for a bilateral economic cooperation agreement.

• New Zealand’s Venture Investment Fund (NZVIF) and Taiwan’s National Development Fund (NDF) have recently announced a partnership that opens new doors for potential investors.

• In 2011, China Airlines (Taiwan) recommenced flights from Taipei to Auckland via Brisbane three times per week. In addition, China Airlines recently announced an increase in its flights to Auckland (via Australia) from the current three flights per week to a daily service, starting from 28 October 2012. These developments contribute to the significant education and tourism arrivals – Taiwan is the 17th largest inbound market with 18,464 visitors (year ending August 2012).

• There is a large Taiwanese community in New Zealand and the New Zealand community in Taiwan is growing.

• In May, the two organisations that represent New Zealand and Taiwan’s respective universities signed an Arrangement of Academic Cooperation. It provides a foundation for establishing stronger links and identifying specific areas for student and academic exchange and research cooperation.

Itinerary for first week

Monday 8 October, Busan, South Korea

8am Briefing by New Zealand Ambassador to Korea

10.30am Site visit AZ Works and Busan Contents Complex

1pm Business networking lunch

2pm Site visit to Busan Techno Park (Jisa Science Complex)

4pm Site visit to port/waterfront redevelopment

7:00pm Courtesy call with Mayor of Busan, Mr. HUR Nam-Sik

7:10pm Auckland Council delegation welcome dinner with Busan Metropolitan Government

9.00pm Busan International Film Festival – Forum and Market Official Opening

Tuesday 9 October

9.30am Site visit to Busan Dream Space

11am Asian Film Policy Forum Opening

1.30pm Wreath-laying at United Nations Memorial Cemetery

3pm Site visit to Shinsegae Centum City

4pm Site visit to Busan Cinema Centre

6pm New Zealand Film Reception at the Busan International Film Commission and Industry Showcase

Wednesday 10 October

9am Travel to partner city Pohang

12 noon Auckland Council delegation welcome lunch

1pm Site visit to Pohang Accelerator Laboratory

2.30pm Civic welcome and partner city re-signing ceremony

3pm Site visit to POSCO steel company

5pm Site visit to Korea Institute of Robotics and Convergence

6pm Auckland Council delegation welcome dinner and business networking function

Thursday 11 October

9.30am Travel to Seoul

1.30pm Lunch with New Zealand Honorary Consul to Korea, Mr. KIM Jae-chul

2pm Media conference

4pm Visit to the New Zealand Centre for Culture and Education

5pm Site visit to National Digital Library

6.30pm Commonwealth Chambers networking function hosted by the Kiwi Chamber of Commerce

Friday 12 October

8am Courtesy call with the Vice-Mayor of Seoul, Mr. KIM Sang-Bum

9am Site visit to Korea Creative Content Agency

11am High-speed train journey

12.30pm Site visit to Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute

6.30pm NZ Embassy and Auckland Council networking function

Saturday 13 October

10.30am Travel to Taichung

(all times are local, 5 hours behind NZT)

7pm Auckland Council delegation welcome dinner with Deputy Mayor of Taichung, Mr. SHYU Jong-Shyong

Sunday 14 October

7am Breakfast meeting with Mayor of Taichung, Dr Jason HU

9.30am Briefing by the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office

11.30am Site visit to Eslite bookstore

2pm Site visit to National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts

3.30pm Site visit to National Museum of Natural Science

6.30pm Courtesy call and partner city re-signing with Mayor of Taichung, Dr Jason HU

7pm Auckland Council delegation welcome dinner with Taichung Metropolitan Government, hosted by Mayor of Taichung, Dr Jason HU

Ends

© Scoop Media