Statistics

New Zealand exported over NZ$18 billion worth of goods to China (year to December 2023), over double that of our next biggest export markets the US (NZ$8 billion) and Australia (NZ$7.8 billion).

China remains our largest source of imported goods, at over NZ$16b (year to December 2023), followed by Australia (NZ$8.4 billion), USA (NZ$7.6 billion), South Korea and Japan.

NZ supplies more than half the dairy products that China imports from the world. New Zealand also supplies a significant amount of the wood, meat and fruit that China imports.

Many of the goods that New Zealand imports are supplied primarily by China, such as clothing, toys and games and furniture.

Foreign investment from China, including Hong Kong reached $9.2b (year to March 2023).  This is well below our largest investor, Australia (at $78b), and is relatively low considering the size of the trade relationship, people to people links and other connections.

In 2023 China was the largest source economy for international students enrolled at NZ education institutions, at 23,907 students (35% of total enrolments). Sub-sector totals for Chinese students in 2023: universities 14,675, schools 4,271, Te Pūkenga 2,135, private training establishments (PTEs) 2023, English language schools 951.  India was the second largest source country at 11.5 per cent, Japan at 10 per cent.

Prior to COVID (2019) China was New Zealand’s second largest source of visitors behind Australia. In January 2024 it ranked 3rd with 158,000 visitors (Australia 505,000, US 317,000).  But further market recovery is expected now that borders have re-opened.

The number of secondary level students learning Chinese in New Zealand has increased slightly in 2023 but remains below the number studying French, Japanese and Spanish.

There has been a big increase in the number of primary level students learning Chinese in New Zealand in recent years, with nearly 65,000 primary students currently studying Chinese.