Travel and trade between New Zealand and China will benefit from the opening of the South Island’s first Chinese consulate general based at The Hansons Lane, Riccarton in Christchurch, as reported in The Press on Friday 2 December.
The consulate is headed by general consul Tan Xiutian quoted in The Press as saying,
"New Zealand is the only country that has signed a free trade agreement with us, and the South Island is a main source of a lot of our imports like dairy and other agricultural products."
Tan also voiced the importance of establishing an official Chinese presence in the South Island because of the large numbers of Chinese international students and tourists it attracted, as well as the 30,000 Chinese expatriates residing in the City.
The Christchurch consulate will deal with the issuing of visas for travel to China as well as passports and other documents. Previously people living in the South Island had to travel to the Chinese Embassy in Wellington to have documents issued.
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