Understanding our people’s demands key to strong diplomatic relations

THE year 2017 marks a significant milestone in the Malaysia-New Zealand relationship. During a time we are celebrating 60 years of enduring diplomatic ties, we are seeing strong growth in trade between our two countries, as well as a steady increase in the number of Malaysian students and tourists visiting New Zealand.

To date, Malaysia is New Zealand’s ninth largest trading partner while over 2,000 Malaysian students are currently pursuing their education in New Zealand.

More than 55,000 Malaysians visited New Zealand over the last year and stayed an average of 21 days. This is a 36 per cent increase from the previous year, thus making it one of the highest percentage increases in holiday arrivals from Asia to New Zealand.

These highlight the success of our countries’ diplomatic ties over the last six decades; and the fabric of this strong relationship is our people. Connecting through people

Our biggest areas of collaboration have undoubtedly been focused on bringing the very best to our people, especially in key areas like trade, education, and tourism.

New Zealand has been fortunate to have a trading partner like Malaysia, one which has worked collaboratively to ensure

strong trade ties between our countries. With the Malaysia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement ( MNZFTA) and the Asean Australia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA), we have been given the opportunity to not only develop our own national economies but also help one another grow.

Since the inception of MNZFTA in2010,two-waytradehasincreased by 57 per cent. In 2016, New Zealand imported NZD$1.5billion worth of goods from Malaysia, including crude petroleum oil, electrical and electronic products.

Meanwhile, exports of key products such as dairy, meat products and wood to Malaysia amounted to nearly NZD$ 800million last year.

What has been even more encouraging to see is the way our relationship has evolved through the years, moving from the exchange of goods to a more holistic one built around the exchange of services, ideas and cultures.

Another key pillar that has supported our longstanding ties is education. Initially conceived through the Colombo Plan in 1951, educational partnerships have become a key avenue through which we have not only deepened our bilateral ties, but also allowed our youth to learn with, and from one and other.

It is significant to note that successful partnerships are the product of two-way collaboration and that it has been equally important to ensure our youth are exposed to the learning experiences that Malaysia has to offer.

One key initiative has been the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia ( PMSA), which offers New Zealand students the chance to embark on diverse and innovative student exchange or internship programmes in Malaysia.

While our relationship across trade and education saw rapid growth from the outset, tourism between both countries was almost non- existent in the late 1950s. However, this has changed drastically in recent years.

New Zealand is a land of open spaces and open hearts, and today our diverse landscapes and welcoming culture has drawn many Malaysian visitors to our shores.

We’ve seen more Malaysians immersing themselves in New Zealand’s culture — be it through self- drives to Lake Tekapo, in the heart of the Southern Alps, or exploring less travelled regions such as Nelson and Hawke’s Bay.

Similarly, we have worked to embrace the culture and traditions ofourMalaysiancounterparts.Our shared love of food has resulted in the development of the Halal Food Guide, a collaboration between Tourism New Zealand, the Kiwi Muslim Directory and Federation of the Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ).

The Halal Food Guide is just one example of the efforts we have undertaken to open New Zealand to Malaysian travellers. Malaysians do not require a visa to visit New Zealand, and seamless travel between our countries has never been easier with new flight launches bringing us closer than ever before. Two nations, one vision

While our joint efforts in the various sectors have been a crucial link between our countries, it has also been our mutual commitment towards understanding the demands and needs of our people that has led to an enduring friendship over the past 60 years.

We have been fortunate to have nurtured a special relationship with Malaysia over the years, one built on trust and friendship, and we look forward to deepening these ties over the coming years.

In celebration of this 60th anniversary, the New Zealand High Commission is launching the Discover Aotearoa New Zealand Festival at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur from Oct 25-29. The festival will bring the best of New Zealand’s culture to Malaysia.