Currency agreement will help trade, investment

An agreement allowing direct trading of the New Zealand dollar against China’s renminbi will help to build on the growing trade and investment ties between the two countries, Finance Minister Bill English says.

“The agreement announced by the Prime Minister in Beijing last night is a significant and welcome step forward in our economic relationship with China,” Mr English says.

“As the Prime Minister says, it will make doing business with China easier by reducing the costs of converting between the two currencies, and it will further stimulate our already strong trade and investment links.

“Just as the free trade agreement between New Zealand and China has supported a significant increase in two-way trade between our countries, I expect this currency agreement to further deepen our economic relationship,” Mr English says.

Last year alone, trade in goods between New Zealand and China increased by more than 25 per cent to $18.2 billion – making China New Zealand’s top destination for goods exports.

The New Zealand dollar is only the sixth currency to be traded directly with the renminbi, following the US dollar, the Japanese yen, the Australian dollar, the Russian rouble and the Malaysian ringgit.

“This is a welcome conclusion to negotiations the Prime Minister started only last year, which will benefit businesses and investors in both countries,” Mr English says.