Bilingual instruction book presented in New Zealand for Chinese companies

Leading New Zealand law firms and Chinese business leaders have taken collaborative steps to promote connectivity for businesses in the post-COVID-19 economic activities by putting together a book, co-editor Raymond Huo told Xinhua on Wednesday.

The bilingual book, Doing Business in New Zealand, is a result of collaboration with the China Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand (CCCNZ) and major New Zealand law firms. With each leading firm contributing chapters on different areas of law, the book combines a wealth of knowledge and expertise of prominent law firms and professional bodies.

New Zealand's former cabinet minister and Law Commissioner Dr. Wayne Mapp and current Government Member of Parliament Raymond Huo are the co-editors.

The book is aimed to help Chinese companies better understand New Zealand's legal landscape, said Raymond Huo, "It will also pave the way for Kiwi businesses to know more about their China-oriented business opportunities. This is particularly relevant as New Zealand has just upgraded our original Free Trade Agreement with China, offering improved access for New Zealand goods and services."

Promoting the rule of law is what motivated Raymond Huo to get involved in this joint project. Huo has just released his eighth book, The Power of the Rule of Law - Navigating Established Common Law Cases. Huo, who is also an honorary professor of law at his alma mater in Beijing, studied both statutory law and common law.

"For business people from different jurisdictions, sometimes to get important contractual terms right can be difficult and painful," said Huo.

David Wang, chairman of CCCNZ and CEO of Bank of China NZ, said he was thrilled that his chamber of commerce had the opportunity to produce such a book jointly with prominent law firms in New Zealand.

"This is a quasi-encyclopedia of New Zealand law and leading law firms. The World Bank ranks New Zealand the best place in the world to do business and this book is a testament to those areas measured which underline the country's economic and regulatory fundamentals," said Wang.

CCCNZ membership includes Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank as well as Haier Appliances, Yashili, COSCO, China Travel Services, Waste Management and major airlines from China.

"This is particularly important for post COVID-19 recovery when China-NZ businesses will need to reconnect with each other," said Wang.

Co-editor Dr. Wayne Mapp, who gained his PhD in international law from Cambridge, said China is a country that has become very important to New Zealand and how New Zealand manage relationships in an increasingly complex world is a key policy issue for both the government and stakeholders across the economy and society.

"Nothing would be more straightforward than such a bilingual book that, in close collaboration between professionals and businesses, would result in the breadth of more local and international connectivity and business activities," said Mapp.

The book is due to be published in September with additional audio version as well.