NZINC. and the Auckland Business Chamber present the 12th China Business Summit, New Zealand’s premier platform for exploring the economic, commercial and political dimensions of the New Zealand-China relationship.

New Zealand exported almost NZ$20 billion in goods to China in the year to December 2025 – close to double the combined total of our next two largest goods markets. China has been our top export destination for more than a decade, and remains our largest source of imports at $18.5 billion, our third-largest source of international visitors, and a significant investor.

The 2026 Middle East crisis, particularly tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, has exposed the vulnerability of both China and New Zealand to oil supply disruptions, driving efforts towards greater energy independence and accelerating the uptake of green technologies.

China’s leadership in this space is increasingly visible in New Zealand: Chinese EVs are a growing presence in our new vehicle market, Chinese-manufactured panels underpin much of our solar build-out, and Chinese AI models are increasingly part of the business toolkit. China’s innovative leadership in critical fields like AI, solar energy technologies and EVs is already making an impact in New Zealand.

Yet the environment around the relationship has rarely been more contested. Washington’s tariff agenda has reshaped global trade flows, with measures on Chinese goods reaching extraordinary levels in 2025 before being walked back through successive truces. The United States Supreme Court has struck down the use of emergency powers to impose tariffs.

Beijing prepares to host APEC in Shenzhen later this year, and the Luxon government continues to navigate closer alignment with traditional security partners alongside its commercial commitments to China. For a small, trade-dependent nation, engaging thoughtfully when geopolitics, security and the economic rulebook are all in motion at once, is the defining challenge.

In a year when the rules of the game are being rewritten in real time, this is an unmissable event for business and political leaders looking for clarity and a strategic edge.

FEATURING

Hon Todd McClay

Raymond Yeung

Professor James Laurenceson

Carrie Hurihanganui

Ambassador Wang Xiaolong

Prime Minister’s Address
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will open the Summit with reflections on his upcoming business mission to China – his first as Prime Minister. Drawing on his deep commercial experience with China, he will outline how his Government intends to navigate a complex relationship while unlocking new business opportunities.
Geopolitics, Trade and China’s Outlook
From Washington to Wellington, the impact of US-China tensions is being felt across global markets. Ambassador Wang Xiaolong will offer Beijing’s perspective on economic opportunity, technological change, and China’s evolving engagement with New Zealand. In a special session, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Andy Browne and economist Raymond Yeung will decode the latest in the US-China dynamic.
Strategy from the Top
Leading New Zealand exporters, including senior leaders from Air New Zealand, Zespri, Silver Fern Farms, and Fonterra, will share how they’re adapting their China strategies in the face of ongoing disruption. Meanwhile, on-the-ground voices from China will reveal what success looks like in 2025, and what lessons matter most for Kiwi businesses looking to grow.
Innovation and Disruption
Nick Mowbray will showcase Zuru Tech’s bold new venture to revolutionise how the world builds. With its BIM-powered platform DreamCatcher and fully automated production process, Zuru Tech is disrupting global construction – a vision born from the Mowbray siblings’ 20-year journey of entrepreneurship in China. His keynote underscores how Kiwi innovation can scale globally from within China’s dynamic ecosystem.
Diversification and the New Competition
Mark Tanner of China Skinny will challenge the assumption that India or ASEAN are easy alternatives to China. He’ll explore what diversification looks like, how Chinese companies are outpacing competitors, and why China’s lower-tier cities may offer more untapped value than many realise.
Brand, People and Perceptions
From soft power to trade and student travel, reputation matters. The Summit will explore how New Zealand can reshape perceptions in the China market, through language, cultural connection, and storytelling. Sessions include David Downs on the latest China perception research, Lisa Li and Professor Dawn Freshwater on tourism and education recovery, and Pania Tyson-Nathan, Jo Coughlan, and Xiaoying Fu on the enduring power of people-to-people ties.

The 12th China Business Summit convenes senior policymakers, business leaders and strategic thinkers from across government, industry and academia to make sense of this moment – with insights from across the agribusiness, aviation, services and trade sectors.

It provides a great opportunity for delegates to network and engage in strategic conversions that will inform the direction for New Zealand’s future with China.

Speakers

Fran O’Sullivan ONZM

Simon Bridges

Hon Todd McClay

Hon Damien O’Connor

Ambassador Wang Xiaolong

Professor James Laurenceson

Suzannah Jessep

Raymond Yeung

Carrie Hurihanganui

Nicholas Calder

Steve Jones

Sam Sachdeva

Lisa Li MNZM

Ray Smith

Alistair Crozier

Tim McCready

Further speakers and a full programme to be announced soon.

AGENDA

Friday, 18 July 2025

6.30AM REGISTRATION DESK OPENS

7.05AM

MIHI WHAKATAU
Renata Blair, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei

7.10AM

CALL TO ORDER
MC: Tim McCready

7.15AM

WELCOME
Summit Chair: Fran O’Sullivan, Managing Director, NZINC.

7.20AM

PRIME MINISTER KEYNOTE WITH Q&A
Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister has led his first business mission to China at the invitation of the Chinese Government. While this was Christopher Luxon ‘s first official visit as prime minister he is well-acquainted with China from his earlier business roles including as CEO of Air New Zealand. His insights into how his Government will manage New Zealand’s complex relationship with China will be keenly awaited, as will his Government’s determination to capitalise on business opportunities.

Moderator: Fran O’Sullivan, Summit Chair

7.55AM

VIEW FROM THE TOP
Dame Therese Walsh, Chair of Air New Zealand and ASB will share her takeouts from the PM’s visit via her role as leader of the business delegation accompanying him to Shanghai and Beijing.

8.05AM

VIEW FROM THE TOP
In a time of constant disruption, New Zealand’s leading exporters are recalibrating their China strategies. They will share how they’re navigating China’s economic headwinds, ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, and intensifying global competition. From fresh thinking on premium positioning to realigning supply chains and strengthening partnerships, these leaders will offer insights into how their organisations are adapting and what it takes to stay ahead in one of New Zealand’s most important but complex markets.

Jason Te Brake, CEO, Zespri
Dan Boulton, CEO, Silver Fern Farms
Richard Allen, President Global Ingredients, Fonterra
Jenny Cameron, Chief Transformation Officer, Ministry for Primary Industries (incoming Deputy Director-General China Relations)
Discussant: Hon Todd McClay, Minister for Trade, Agriculture and Investment

Moderator: Fran O’Sullivan, Summit Chair

9.00AM

KEYNOTE ADDRESS – H.E. WANG XIAOLONG, AMBASSADOR TO NEW ZEALAND
Ambassador Wang will share his perspective on China’s economic outlook and the evolving nature of China–New Zealand engagement. As both countries respond to new challenges and opportunities across trade, innovation, and technological development, the Ambassador will outline areas for continued collaboration and reflect on how the relationship can remain resilient and forward-focused in the years ahead.

Moderator: Tim McCready, Summit MC

9.30AM

KEYNOTE SESSION: TENSIONS AND TRADE
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Andy Browne and renowned economist Raymond Yeung bring unparalleled insight into the dynamics of the world’s most consequential bilateral relationship – the United States and China. Drawing on decades of experience from the frontlines of media, diplomacy, and financial markets, they will unpack what the fragile trade truce means in practice, the deeper tensions simmering beneath the surface, and how these dynamics ripple out to the New Zealand economy.

Session Chair: Greg Foran, CEO, Air New Zealand; former CEO of Walmart US and Walmart China.

10.30AM MORNING TEA & NETWORKING

11.00AM

KEYNOTE: MADE FROM CHINA
Nick Mowbray takes us inside the “Just in Time” building revolution that Zuru Tech has sparked to disrupt the manufacture of homes and commercial buildings for international markets. Zuru Tech’s flagship product, DreamCatcher, is the world’s first BIM software directly connected to automated production systems, enabling users to design, price, and manufacture buildings with unprecedented efficiency and precision.

It’s the latest chapter in the Zuru story, which began over two decades ago in Guangzhou with a toy company founded by the Mowbray siblings, now a global powerhouse in innovation and scale.

Moderator: Tim McCready, Summit MC

11.40AM

GOING FOR GROWTH – CHINESE INVESTMENT
China is a significant source of foreign direct investment into New Zealand, particularly in primary industries, tourism, infrastructure, and manufacturing. In this session, senior executives from leading Chinese-owned businesses operating in New Zealand will share their strategies, sector outlooks, and thoughts on deepening cross-border partnerships.

John Cochrane, Managing Director, Facteon Group
Kelvin Zhou, Chief Financial Officer, Westland Milk Products

The New Zealand CEOs of two major Chinese banks will share how Chinese capital, technology, and construction expertise are fuelling growth opportunities, and what more could be done to unlock momentum for New Zealand’s economy.

Bin Liu, CEO, ICBC New Zealand
Warren Hu, CEO, Bank of China New Zealand & Chair, China Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand

Moderators: Stuart McKinnon, Managing Director, Institutional NZ – ANZ & Fran O’Sullivan, Summit Chair

12.20PM

NZ BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE IN CHINA: 2025 BUSINESS OUTLOOK SURVEY

David Boyle, Director of the Board of NZBRiC will unveil the latest findings from the 2025 NZBRiC Business Outlook survey across the China market.

12.30PM LUNCH & NETWORKING

1.30PM

KEYNOTE: CHINA’S AI BREAKTHROUGHS
China’s rapid advances in generative AI – from platforms like DeepSeek to emerging leaders like MiniMax – are the result of coordinated national strategy, major investment in talent and infrastructure, and a culture of techno-optimism.

Dr Liang Zheng, Deputy Director of the China Institute for Science and Technology Policy at Tsinghua University, will share insights into the evolving tech trends in China, how non-tech companies are embracing AI transformation, and what New Zealand businesses should understand about China’s direction of travel in the digital economy.

Discussant: Professor Michael Witbrock, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Auckland, leader of the Strong AI Lab (SAIL) & co-director of the Natural, Artificial, and Organisational Intelligence Institute (NAOI)

Moderator: Suzannah Jessep, CEO, Asia New Zealand Foundation

2.05PM

VIEW FROM ‘ON THE GROUND’
New Zealand business leaders who have been on the ground in China will share how they are rising to the challenge of operating with more business sophistication in a rapidly changing market.

Nick Hammond, CEO, Spring Sheep Dairy
Mahara Inglis, CEO, MitoQ
Karyna Young, founder and CEO, EnPot Ltd and CEO of Yunca Group

Moderator: Chris Metcalfe, Regional Director for Greater China, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise

2.40PM

RETHINKING DIVERSIFICATION
As businesses consider diversifying beyond China, China Skinny’s Mark Tanner will challenge the assumption that alternatives like India or ASEAN are simple swaps. With market data and on-the-ground experience, he will explore whether New Zealand is truly equipped to compete in these fast-evolving regions, and whether China’s lower-tier cities might hold more untapped potential than we realise. He’ll explain how Chinese firms are outmanoeuvring foreign competitors, offering practical lessons for those seeking to stay competitive.

Moderator: Tim McCready, Summit MC

3.00PM AFTERNOON TEA & NETWORKING

3.15PM

TOURISM AND EDUCATION – TURNING THE TIDE
Tourism and international education were among the hardest-hit sectors during the pandemic. While global travel has largely rebounded, New Zealand’s recovery in the China market continues to lag behind. What’s holding us back, and how do we turn it around? In this session, Lisa Li MNZM (China Travel Service), Professor Dawn Freshwater (University of Auckland), Carrie Hurihanganui (Auckland Airport) and Jessica Miao (United Media Solution) share insights on how the landscape has shifted, explore strategies to reignite growth, and discuss what a sustainable rebound to pre-pandemic levels looks like.

Moderator: Tim McCready, Summit MC

4.00PM

SOFT POWER – THE POWER OF PEOPLE
In a world where diplomacy is increasingly shaped by connection as much as policy, Dame Pania Tyson-Nathan, Jo Coughlan, and Xiaoying Fu will explore the role of relationships, language, and lived experience in sustaining New Zealand’s engagement with China. They’ll reflect on what it takes to build trust across cultures, how language and cultural understanding can shape relationships, and why people-to-people ties remain one of our strongest assets in a complex geopolitical environment.

Moderator: Fran O’Sullivan, Summit Chair

4.20PM

PERCEPTIONS MATTER
David Downs, CEO of New Zealand Story, will unpack the latest China Market Perception research from New Zealand Story, revealing how Chinese consumers view their nation, and how this shapes their perception of other countries, including New Zealand. David will cover what the research shows for sectors like education, food and beverage, and tech – including the need to leverage our strengths in safety and innovation, emphasise our technical capability, and tell stories that resonate with Chinese consumers.

Moderator: Tim McCready, Summit MC

4.30PM

SUMMIT SUMMARY
Summit Chair: Fran O’Sullivan & Alistair Crozier, Executive Director, New Zealand China Council

4.35PM

PRIZE DRAW courtesy of Air New Zealand and Silver Fern Farms

Katy Riddell, Summit Event Director
Sam Winstanley, Senior Manager Corporate, Government & SME Sales, Air New Zealand
Tim McCready, Summit MC

4.45PM SUMMIT CLOSE & NETWORKING DRINKS

Our Land Bar, Cordis

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Single Ticket	Table of Eight
$470+GST ($540.50)	$3600+GST ($4140)

FEATURING

Speakers

Fran O’Sullivan ONZM

Simon Bridges

Hon Todd McClay

Hon Damien O’Connor

Ambassador Wang Xiaolong

Professor James Laurenceson

Suzannah Jessep

Raymond Yeung

Carrie Hurihanganui

Nicholas Calder

Steve Jones

Sam Sachdeva

Lisa Li MNZM

Ray Smith

Alistair Crozier

Tim McCready

AGENDA

6.30AM REGISTRATION DESK OPENS

7.05AM

7.10AM

7.15AM

7.20AM

7.55AM

8.05AM

9.00AM

9.30AM

10.30AM MORNING TEA & NETWORKING

11.00AM

11.40AM

12.20PM

12.30PM LUNCH & NETWORKING

1.30PM

2.05PM

2.40PM

3.00PM AFTERNOON TEA & NETWORKING

3.15PM

4.00PM

4.20PM

4.30PM

4.35PM

4.45PM SUMMIT CLOSE & NETWORKING DRINKS

JOIN US

Cordis, Auckland

Contact

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