Business expectations are growing between China and the Rangitikei District.
Mayor Andy Watson has recently returned from a whistle-stop business trip to China at the request of a large Chinese company.
Mr Watson was invited to attend the opening of a large and extravagant shopping mall in the affluent city of Taizhou north of Shanghai to give him an idea of where local Rangitikei product would be sold.
At this point, Mr Watson said, he could not identify the products the wealthy Chinese company was interested in importing.
Except to say that China has extreme respect for New Zealand food and meat products.
"They see us not only as a clean and green country but very honest and true to our labels.
They have great respect for us.''