NZ seeking to build strong, multi-faceted tie with China: PM (2)

INVESTMENT WELCOME

New Zealand also had "a clear message for China: your investment is welcome," Key said.

His comments came just months after two Chinese purchases -- the sale of the 16 Crafar dairy farms to Shanghai Pengxin group and white goods giant Haier's takeover of New Zealand's iconic Fisher & Paykel Appliances -- stirred controversy over the foreign ownership of New Zealand assets.

"The message is pretty clear: we welcome your investment in New Zealand. We need foreign investment to grow. We think those kinds of investments and partnerships can make a big difference in opening up markets like China for New Zealand," Key said.

He cited Shanghai-based Bright Dairy's 2010 purchase of a 51- percent stake in the Synlait Milk dairy processing firm as a positive example of Chinese investment.

"If you take Bright and their investment in Synlait, what you' ve seen is them not only stabilizing a company that was otherwise in a little bit of trouble, but also opening up the infant baby formula market to that company, and that's been very good in terms of growth opportunities and ...it's created jobs," he said.

The overwhelming number of New Zealanders generally supported foreign investment and the government tried to be very transparent regarding foreign investment.

"We are totally color blind. In the end we apply the same rules whether it's a Chinese investor or a British investor," said Key.

ATTRACTING TOURISTS

New Zealand also needed to spend more money to promote the country as a tourist destination to a wider range of Chinese travelers, Key said.

The number of Chinese visitors to the country were increasing rapidly, up 35 percent last year to 200,000, but that was just "a very small fraction" of total Chinese trips abroad, he said.

New Zealand could use "brand ambassadors" for more promotion, said the prime minister, citing Chinese actress Yao Chen, who held a wedding ceremony in the South Island ski resort of Queenstown in November last year and broadcast photos of the event to around 35 million social media followers.

The country also had to tailor its appeal to a wider range of Chinese tourists, he added.

"You've got a very broad range of tourists who could be interested in quite different segments of the New Zealand tourist offering, so we just need to spend more money in that market to promote New Zealand."

Partnerships with airlines like China Southern to speed up visa processing and familiarization tours for Chinese travel agents were also important in promoting New Zealand, he said.

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