在人们心中，新西兰这一纯净的国度可谓“诗与远方”。然而在现实中，新西兰与中国的关系却近得让人耳熟能详，乳制品、婴儿奶粉、海鲜、牛羊肉、奇异果、苹果、蜂蜜......在中国人的日常生活中，已随处可见进口的新西兰优质产品。

连续多年作为新西兰最大的贸易伙伴，中国一直倍受新西兰关注。近年来中国出台的“中国长三角一体化发展”政策也牵动着新西兰企业的心。

在新西兰驻上海总领事罗安竺（Andrew Robinson）看来，中国长三角地区对于新西兰和中国的贸易关系至关重要，长三角地区是中国最早开放的几个地区之一，特别是改革开放以后，这里得到飞速发展。

新西兰跟长三角地区有着深厚的贸易联系，对中国约40%的出口要通过该地区的口岸，高度依赖该地区强大的供应链、物流体系以及支持贸易发展的行政基础设施。长三角地区也有很多新西兰企业，为全世界生产最优质、安全和清洁的产品。整体来看，在与中国长三角地区的合作上，很多方面都体现了新西兰的优势和专长，比如农业、科技创新以及文化产业。

过去的一年里，让罗安竺印象最深刻的便是新西兰与长三角地区在文化领域的合作，他表示，尽管新西兰是一个小国，但在电影、电视剧、时尚设计等方面都与长三角地区尤其是上海有太多合作。

对于未来更多参与长三角地区的发展，罗安竺充满信心，无论是科技领域在非传染性疾病研究上的合作，还是文创产业的联系，他都相信“还可以做得更多”。

在罗安竺的眼里，鼠年对于中国和新西兰的关系而言一直都是吉祥之年，无论是两国建交、还是签署自由贸易协定，都发生在鼠年。他祝愿2020年鼠年两国关系还能吉祥如意，兴旺繁荣。

New Zealand aims to cooperate further with Yangtze River Delta

For many people, New Zealand is like a land of milk and honey with its purity. And, in China, that can be seen in people’s everyday lives, with New Zealand’s quality products visible everywhere, like dairy products, honey, baby milk powder, seafood, beef and mutton, kiwifruit and apples. 

As New Zealand's largest trading partner for many years, China has always been attracting much attention from New Zealand. For example, companies from New Zealand are watching really closely China's "integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta" policy rolled out in recent years.

In the view of Andrew Robinson, New Zealand's Consul General in Shanghai, the Yangtze River Delta region of China is essential to the trade connections between New Zealand and China. It was one of the first parts of China to open up and has developed a very strong modern economy based on a range of sectors.

New Zealand has strong trade links with this part of China, with approximately 40% of its exports to China going through ports in the wider region. Therefore it relies on the good supply chains, logistic chains and also important administrative infrastructure that supports trade as well.

There are a lot of New Zealand companies in the region who are producing some of the highest quality, safest and cleanest products in the world. A lot of connections reflect New Zealand's expertise and advantages, such as agriculture, technological innovation and cultural industries.

In the past year, Mr Robinson was most impressed by the number of connections between New Zealand and the region led by Shanghai, particularly in the cultural industry. He said that although New Zealand is a small country, it has many links in movies, TV series and fashion design, especially with Shanghai.

Regarding more participation in the development of the region in the future, Mr Robinson is full of confidence. Whether it is cooperation in the field of science and technology in the research of non-communicable diseases, or further developing the connections in the cultural and creative industry, he believes that "more can be done."

In the eyes of Mr Robinson, the Year of the Rat has always been an auspicious year for the relationship between China and New Zealand. Whether it was the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries or the signing of a free trade agreement, they all occurred in a Year of the Rat. He is wishful that this Year of the Rat 2020 will be a very prosperous and productive one as well, and very auspicious for the relationship between China and New Zealand.