Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is set to visit Brazil and China to strengthen trade and build relationships between Auckland and these major markets, which together have over 1.6 billion people.
He will support senior delegations of Auckland business leaders aiming to promote their products in these key regions.
A significant topic during his visit will be the potential creation of a dedicated passenger and freight air link between Asia, Auckland, and South America, known as the Southern Cross trade connection or Southern Link. This new link could enhance trade routes and connectivity for businesses across these regions.
Mayor Wayne Brown is pleased that several Auckland business leaders, at their own cost, are joining him on this trip because they see the value in promoting Auckland internationally.Auckland is a diverse city with a rich mix of cultures, including over 170,000 residents who identify as Chinese. The Mayor emphasizes the importance of showing that Aucklanders are proud and globally engaged, eager to be part of the international community.
The Mayor is familiar with both Brazil and China. He has visited Brazil several times and authored a book that was translated into Portuguese and sold well there. He has also led business delegations to China.
In 2008, he was invited by then-Prime Minister Helen Clark to Beijing for the signing of the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, where he attended a formal lunch with Premier Wen Jiabao.
As an official guest of the New Zealand Government, he will visit Brazil from October 20 to October 25, marking the first official visit by an Auckland Mayor to Brazil. He will join Trade Minister Todd McClay for a bilateral meeting with the Vice-Governor of São Paulo and participate in an economic and business briefing.
The trip includes a roundtable event hosted by NZ Trade and Enterprise, a partnership signing between New Zealand companies and their Brazilian customers, and a NZ Business Technology Showcase featuring local tech and manufacturing firms.
The Mayor will return to Auckland before heading to China on 31 October, leading a delegation of New Zealand business leaders for a series of official events.
This marks the first official Auckland delegation to China in five years, New Zealand’s largest export market worth over $20 billion annually.
He will meet members of the Hainan Government in Haikou, support Auckland businesses at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai, meet the China Chamber of Commerce in Ningbo, and speak at a function in Guangzhou celebrating 35 years of Auckland’s sister city relationship.
While in Guangzhou, he will visit Auckland companies like Zuru and attend the International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Development Conference in Chengdu, invited by the Sichuan Government.
The Mayor is particularly interested in China’s rapid infrastructure development and will look for ways Auckland can benefit from their fast, efficient methods. He will also make a brief stop in Tokyo for a meeting with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and attend part of the 50th Japan-New Zealand Business Council Conference before returning to Auckland on 17 November.
The trip, costing around $75,000, is approved by the council’s audit committee and follows council rules. One staff member from the Mayoral Office will accompany the Mayor on each leg, with business delegates covering their own costs. Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson will be the Acting Mayor during his absence.