China trade deal essential say pro-growth Progressives

Be careful in choosing your coalition partner if you want a pro-growth trade deal with China, warned the Progressive Deputy Leader Matt Robson today after the trade deal was attacked by the Greens in Parliament yesterday.

"Progressive is working in government to ensure New Zealand's economy is strong enough to compete on the world stage and a pro-growth trade deal with China is absolutely vital.

The combined gross domestic product of China and Japan will overtake that of the United States within the next generation, which will reshape the world's economic map, according to Nobel prize-winning economist Robert A. Mundell.

"China's economy will be the biggest in the world within a generation. What is it about that that the Greens don't understand? When they condemn such a deal they are putting kiwi jobs at risk.

"The progressive policies of this government to develop a high value, high skill, high quality economy, led by Progressive leader Jim Anderton as Minister of Economic Development, will ensure that we can compete on the world stage. We are not endangering New Zealand jobs in trading with low cost manufacturing from China because we are never going to compete on cost.

"The transformation of the New Zealand economy by maximizing the potential of our creativity and innovation is the only way we will survive the skills competition of the future.

"New Zealanders should be assured that human rights, labour rights and environmental protection are always part of the considerations for our trade deals. Engaging with China on trade also allows us to promote these issues," Matt Robson said.

'The lives of millions of people depend on trade deals' (Oxfam)

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