September 06, 2012
Maori Trustee explores China opportunities
Maori trustee Jamie Tuuta is leading a small group of Maori business leaders to China next month to talk to Shanghai Pengxin about investment opportunities.
Mr Tuuta told a conference in Parliament yesterday marking 40 years of diplomatic relations between China and New Zealand that Shanghai Pengxin chairman Jiang Zhaobai had come to New Zealand in July to meet iwi leaders and Maori farming interests.
The trip was kept quiet because of the controversy over Shanghai Pengxin’s purchase of the Crafar farms.
Mr Tuuta says Maori organisations need to find ways to increase the value they get from what they can grow on their land, because they are not in the business of selling the land for capital gain.