AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- The China International Import Expo (CIIE) is extremely valuable for New Zealand exporters, New Zealand Trade Commissioner for southern China Pete Frost said.

"This year is a very important year for the relationship between New Zealand and China. It marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries. Our participation in CIIE, which is the fifth time that we've participated, is a key activity marking this quite significant milestone," Frost told Xinhua in an interview.

The government trade development and investment attraction agency New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) has provided support for New Zealand exporters since the inaugural edition of the annual CIIE. Each year, the agency endeavours to create a strong New Zealand brand presence and help develop business matching opportunities for New Zealand companies at the CIIE.

This year, the 400-square meter "Taste New Zealand" country pavilion will feature 27 New Zealand businesses, with the majority of them in the food, beverage, and consumer goods sectors. Outside of the country pavilion, there will also be about 20 New Zealand company pavilions present at the CIIE, according to Frost.

Frost said he is delighted to see New Zealand's large presence this year.

The New Zealand pavilion "has been developed to showcase a wide range of high-quality, premium New Zealand products and services, and a setting that emphasizes New Zealand values," said the trade commissioner.

Compared to previous years, this year will see the addition of Education New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand representing government agencies to join the country pavilion to promote New Zealand as a desirable destination for overseas study and tourism.

"This level of involvement in CIIE is very positive. Not only can we showcase New Zealand's high-quality products, but also be able to involve Education New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand, particularly at this time, now that COVID restrictions have eased in New Zealand," said Frost.

New Zealand's committed participation in the event is due to not only the positive results of the CIIE for the country's businesses but also New Zealand and China's mutual commitment to supporting bilateral trade, said Frost.

"Over the years, we've received positive feedback from companies about CIIE and the opportunities that CIIE has given them. We see CIIE as a great platform to showcase New Zealand capability across the different sectors and for participants to build brand awareness, launch new products and celebrate significant partnerships," he said.

"Events like CIIE continue to be important for New Zealand exporters. Given the ongoing travel disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic, the exposure and connections that CIIE provides our exporters are extremely valuable," said Frost.

"The New Zealand-China free trade agreement upgrading has shown that New Zealand and China have a strong commitment to each other, a strong partnership in the trading space. This upgrade has further supported trading between our two countries," said Frost.