The Government has appointed its first Consul-General for western China. Alistair Crozier will open New Zealand's new consulate in Chengdu later this year.
Mr Crozier is a Mandarin speaker who has served twice before in China, including as New Zealand's first education counsellor.
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says a New Zealand presence in the west of China will provide further support for companies that want to expand beyond the coastal cities of China.
Mr McCully said New Zealand is aiming to reach two-way trade with China of $30 billion by 2020 - having surpassed the earlier goal of $20 billion well ahead of schedule.
