New Zealand appoints first consul to western China

The New Zealand government on Tuesday named its first-ever Consul-General for Western China, charged with helping the two countries to meet their target of 30 billion NZ dollars ($25.55 billion) in trade by 2020.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully said he had appointed diplomat Alistair Crozier to open the new consulate in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, where he would provide support for New Zealand companies looking to expand beyond the coastal cities of China.

"The consulate will be a key part of New Zealand's expanded diplomatic presence in China, which will also see additional staff deployed to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou," McCully said in a statement.

"Opening the consulate also recognizes the growth in consumer demand across China. It will allow New Zealand to continue to promote ourselves as an education and tourism destination in rapidly expanding markets."

The post will cover Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces as well as Chongqing Municipality, with a total population of almost 200 million.

Crozier is a Mandarin speaker who has served twice before in China, including as New Zealand's first education counsellor.