I have just returned from a trip to Korea to attend the most recent meeting of the Global Federation of Competitive Councils (GFCC). It brought together a range of countries to talk about the best policies to achieve competitiveness. They are developing a new benchmarking tool so we can compare our performance with other countries. More on this to come, but in the meantime I would like to share some hot tips I picked up in Korea.

I took the opportunity to meet with the NZ Ambassador in Seoul Patrick Rata, NZTE Trade Commissioner Ryan Freer, and other ex-pat Kiwis who have based themselves in Seoul to help NZ exporters.

I learnt how they are helping Kiwi firms get into the Korean market and I picked up some top tips to pass onto you. I also gleaned some competitiveness tips from the GFCC meeting. These are all included in my report.

See my report here.

Catherine Beard
027 463 3212 or cbeard@exportnz.org.nz

In this month's Trade Update I remind you of the advantages to be had from the Agreement between New Zealand and Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu on Economic Cooperation (ANZTEC) which enters into force on 1 December. I also give an update on where TPP is at. More...

C Beard

If you missed my recent opinion editorial in the NZ Herald, click on the link below. Always interesting to get some debate going and hear differing views.

More...

Trade Minister Tim Groser recently welcomed the announcement that the Economic Cooperation Agreement between NZ and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu (Chinese Taipei) will enter into force on 1 December 2013. Over four years, the Agreement will deliver complete removal of tariffs on 99 percent of New Zealand’s current exports to Chinese Taipei, and 100 percent within 12 years. More...

Full marks to Tourism New Zealand, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and Education New Zealand for leading the development of the NZ Story.

It has an awesome assets library full of beautiful images and footage for Kiwi firms to use in selling their "New Zealandness" to the world - assets you can use to tell your own New Zealand story. Check it out here...

MFAT and the Malaysian High Commission are hosting a forum on 6 December to showcase opportunities that the Malaysia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement provides to businesses and investors.

At the Forum you will hear experts speaking about how they have been successful in Malaysia, and there will be two interactive workshops to grow your understanding of the trade and investment environment in Malaysia and of how you can benefit from the Malaysia-NZ FTA. More...

Thi is an intersting article that appeared in the NZ Herald on the importance of building corss-cultural relationships in order to do successful business in China.

"A recent research project shows that there has been a growing realisation of the significance of business relationship in our business engagement with Asian/Chinese partners. What makes such relationships, however, remains largely a puzzle.

As we often observe, one of the most common pitfalls in New Zealand's business engagement with China is to apply a linear and results-oriented thinking while neglecting the importance of having a personal business relationship in the first place." More...

Making your website fully translatable into any language and mobile friendly will help your customers find you wherever they are in the world. This website company can help with both - making your website fully responsive, and they are offering Exporter readers a great deal. More...

The New Zealand China Trade Association is hosting a free seminar on the China social media phenomenon, on 9 December in Wellington.

Come and have a light lunch and listen to experts explain the intricate aspects of social media in China. You can also pose some serious questions to the panel which will include Dr. Hongzhi Gao, Dr. Mary Tate, Simon Young, Vallen Han and Xiaoyi Guan, plus network with other like-minded business people interested in and trading with China. More...

If you are a Kiwi exporter looking to get into the European markets, especially the Dutch /Benelux countries,
Thijs Weggemans is a Dutch maters student who could help you.

Currently completing his Masters in Industrial Design Engineering – Management of Product Development, Thijs has a special interest in design management and brand management. He is looking to help a New Zealand company to enter the Dutch, Benelux or European market, as part of his masters thesis, starting somewhere between July and September 2014, or later . This could be aiding in developing a well-defined corporate identity, a powerful brand image or a marketing strategy.

For more information contact Thijs at thijs.in.the.air@gmail.com and view his CV here.

There are some great opportunities for improving your business through learnings at seminars, workshops and events.

To see what's coming up, go to the ExportNZ home page and scroll down to see what's happening around the country – from "All about India" to training about documents used in export.

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