WELLINGTON, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Forestry Minister Shane Jones will visit China on Friday to further strengthen New Zealand's relationship with its key primary sector export market, a statement said on Thursday.
The aim of his one week visit is to promote investment in New Zealand's forest industry, support trade development opportunities and establish relationships with counterparts and industry stakeholders in China, Jones said.
"It will allow us to further promote our forestry industry which is one of our largest export earners," the minister said, adding with the government's One Billion Trees planting program, high-quality overseas investment will play an important role in achieving this ambitious goal.
In the year to March, nearly half of New Zealand's total forestry exports went to the China market, Jones noted.
"This is a well-timed visit as it allows us to highlight the recent changes to the Overseas Investment Act, which will come into force in October," he said.
The changes will streamline the process of investing in New Zealand's forestry sector and will also place more emphasis on value-added wood processing that will create jobs.
