On 25 June 2026, Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong attended the 12th China Business Summit in Auckland and delivered a keynote speech. Wang noted that China's economy will maintain steady growth, with growth momentum shifting towards high-quality development, driven by technological innovation as the core engine to cultivate new quality productive forces. According to the 15th Five-Year Plan, China's total R&D expenditure will maintain an average annual growth of over 7%; currently, China holds approximately 60% of global AI patents, and the value added of core digital economy industries accounts for over 10.5% of GDP.

China adheres to the path of peaceful development and upholds multilateralism, while firmly safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, emphasising that the Taiwan question is the core of China's core interests. Regarding China-New Zealand relations, Wang stated that the two economies are highly complementary with cooperation potential not yet fully explored, calling on both sides to work together to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership. The speech also mentioned China's zero-tariff policy for African countries with diplomatic relations, demonstrating an open and cooperative stance.

Wang concluded by stressing that despite the complex international situation, China's attitude and commitment to developing relations with New Zealand remain unchanged.

Ambassador Wang Xiaolong's speech sent positive signals. His emphasis on China's economic transformation and green development suggests that New Zealand enterprises may gain more cooperation opportunities in areas such as new energy, electric vehicles, and environmental technology. For instance, China's leading position in AI and the digital economy may offer New Zealand SMEs a window for technology introduction or joint R&D.

Meanwhile, China's commitment to multilateralism and free trade is a positive factor for stable expectations of New Zealand exporters. However, the strong stance on the Taiwan question in the speech requires attention; New Zealand businesses should avoid touching on politically sensitive topics. In addition, the growth in R&D investment may drive cooperation between China and New Zealand in frontier fields such as bio-manufacturing and 6G, but short-term implementation is challenging.

For SME owners, it is recommended to pay attention to the growing demand for green products in China (for example, more Chinese brands have appeared in New Zealand's EV market) and the changing preferences of Chinese consumers for high-quality food and tourism services. In conclusion: China's 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly aims to increase the share of the digital economy. New Zealand's traditional export industries such as dairy and meat can leverage digital marketing and e-commerce platforms to expand their market share in China, while cooperation in technology sectors requires greater emphasis on intellectual property protection.

Keywords: Wang Xiaolong, China Business Summit, China-New Zealand relations, 15th Five-Year Plan, technological innovation, digital economy, green transformation, Taiwan question, R&D investment, win-win cooperation

2026年6月25日，中国驻新西兰大使王小龙在奥克兰出席第十二届中国商业峰会并发表主旨讲话。王小龙指出，中国经济将保持稳步增长，增长动力转向高质量发展，以科技创新为核心引擎，培育新质生产力。根据“十五五”规划，中国全社会研发经费投入将保持年均7%以上增长；目前拥有全球约60%的人工智能专利，数字经济核心产业增加值占GDP比重达10.5%以上。

中国坚持和平发展道路，维护多边主义，同时坚定捍卫主权与领土完整，强调台湾问题是中国核心利益的核心。中新关系方面，王小龙表示两国经济高度互补，合作潜力尚未充分开发，呼吁双方相向而行，深化全面战略伙伴关系。讲话提及中国对非洲建交国实施零关税举措，展现开放合作姿态。

王小龙最后强调，尽管国际形势复杂，中方发展中新关系的态度和承诺不变。

王小龙大使的讲话释放了积极信号，对中国经济转型和绿色发展的强调，意味着新西兰企业有望在新能源、电动汽车、环保技术等领域获得更多合作机会。例如，中国在人工智能和数字经济的领先地位，可能为新西兰中小企业提供技术引进或联合研发的窗口。同时，中国坚持多边主义和自由贸易，对新西兰出口商而言，是稳定预期的利好。

不过，讲话中对台湾问题的强硬表态需注意，新西兰企业应避免触碰政治敏感话题。此外，科研投入的增长可能带动中新在生物制造、6G等前沿领域的合作，但短期落地难度大。对中小企业主，建议关注中国绿色产品需求增长（如新西兰电动汽车市场已出现更多中国品牌），以及中国消费者对高质量食品、旅游服务的偏好变化。

结语：中国“十五五”规划明确提出数字经济占比提升，新西兰乳制品、肉类等传统出口行业可借助数字营销和电商平台扩大在华份额，而科技领域合作需更注重知识产权保护。

关键词: 王小龙, 中国商业峰会, 中新关系, 十五五规划, 科技创新, 数字经济, 绿色转型, 台湾问题, 研发投入, 合作共赢

AI illustration on MiDeer Observer

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs