The cap on flights to New Zealand from China is lifting from 49 to 59 immediately and likely up to 70 by the end of 2017.
The increase in the air services agreement is one of more than 21 deals regarding trades, customs, travel and climate change signed off on March 27 by prime minister Bill English and China Premier Li Keqiang.
According to BusinessDesk, the agreements signed include a six-month trial for ten local meat processors to sell chilled meat to China for the first time, and mutual recognition of trusted exporters to speed up the customs process.
There is also a new air services agreement to increase the number of flights between the countries, and the adoption of a climate change action plan.
BusinessDesk reports the trade-focused initiatives signed will allow an e-commerce arrangement to set high-level principles for more cooperation between the nations, and a memorandum of arrangement to find a way to draw New Zealand into China’s Belt and Road regional trade strategy.
It says the agreements come following English launching New Zealand’s refreshed trade strategy to 2030.
The climate change and environmental initiatives signed seek to increase cooperation between the nations to meet their international obligations as China starts rolling out its emissions trading scheme reports BusinessDesk.
The air services agreement will immediately lift the weekly flight cap to 59 from 49, with a further 11 flights pending talks later in the year, while Chinese multiple-entry visas into New Zealand are extending to five years from three years and Chinese passport holders will be allowed to use SmartGate entry.
The two countries have declared 2019 as an official year of China-New Zealand tourism.
Two agricultural initiatives will see a new joint programme focused on animal health and a new research arrangement on biosecurity and plant protection.
