It is expected to lead to more multi-nationals opening offices in Auckland, and increase the flow of high-value visitors (both tourists and business guests), fee-paying students and skilled workers.
It also improves Auckland's global profile and visibility because of its stronger ties with the two Asia-Pacific heavyweights, which have a combined population of nearly 27 million. Guangzhou, third largest city in China, has 14 million people, and the Greater Los Angeles area has 12.8 million people.
Brown says Guangzhou and Los Angeles are Auckland's most well-established and economically important sister cities. "This alliance teams us with two influential economies and is great news for Auckland business. The initiatives, projects and opportunities outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding will add value to our economy and lead to job creation.
"The alliance will boost our efforts of meeting the Economic Development Strategy target of increasing regional exports by 6 per cent a year), real gross domestic product by 5 per cent) and productivity growth by 2 per cent)," Brown said.
New gateways
Auckland's economic growth agency, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (Ateed), will use the agreement to create new gateways into the California and South China markets for its targeted growth sectors of tourism, international education, screen and digital, innovation and food.
Auckland companies with bases in Los Angeles include Mainfreight, Fisher and Paykel Appliances, Vista Entertainment Solutions and Orion Health.
Other initiatives driven by the agreement include collaborating on air quality solutions, waterfront regeneration, ports partnership, transport management, high-end retail marketing and branding, and strengthening the relationship between the cities' chambers of commerce.
The alliance also provides Auckland with an opportunity to promote the World Masters Games 2017, which is expected to attract at least 25,000 athletes and deliver $36 million to the city's economy.
The agreement is expected to open up significant opportunities to develop tourism packages and business events that align with the World Masters Games and other activities in Auckland. Over the next three months the cities will draw up a work programme to implement initiatives -- and progress on securing business opportunities will be reviewed at an annual Tripartite Summit.
Big city allies
14m people in Guangzhou, third largest city in China.
12.8m people in the Greater Los Angeles Area.
The first will be held in Los Angeles in June next year, followed by Auckland in 2016.
Already, the Port of Los Angeles is organising a ports' partnership function during next year's summit and 20th Century Fox Studios will host an entertainment and innovation event.
Ateed chief executive Brett O'Riley, who attended the Tripartite signing in Guangzhou, says it was powerful to see the three mayors committed to leading the charge.
"They are determined that the new alliance will generate measurable economic outcomes and they are ambitious for their cities to be seen are world leaders. All three cities are going through a revitalisation, have similar challenges, and are very much focused on the environment."
O'Riley was involved in wide-ranging, high-level economic growth discussions in Guangzhou -- as well as making significant progress in other China-focused programmes to market Auckland as a premium destination for high-value visitors.
He says there are a lot of ideas on the table as a result of the agreement. "Now we have to get on and prepare the work programmes to take advantage of the new opportunities.
"Take innovation -- Guangzhou has multiple innovation precincts and tech parks, and Los Angeles has as much innovation intensity as San Francisco and Silicon Valley, if not more. Both cities are interested in screen and digital technology, and represent alternative landing points for Auckland and New Zealand high-tech firms.
"There are opportunities for clean tech and environmental management companies to partner with local firms in Guangzhou.
"The same exists in Los Angeles but there is a bigger focus there on water management."
Tourism boost
On the tourism front, the three cities will work towards sharing market intelligence and promotional activities to increase the number of visitors. Ateed's tourism team will look to promote Auckland to Guangzhou and Los Angeles residents through targeted advertising channels, and build stronger relationships with travel agencies.
Ateed has targeted China as a key tourist market for Auckland -- last year the number of Chinese visitors increased 16.3 per cent to 210,000. There is also similar growth in visitors from United States.
All three cities have world-class universities and are keen to share educational expertise and best practice including innovative teaching methods, and connect students to funding, scholarships and degree courses.
One proposal is to launch sports academy programmes which include study -- and an industry-driven project for an Auckland-based rugby academy has been discussed.
Auckland hopes to benefit from the New Zealand-China Television Co-Production agreement, recently signed by the NZ Film Commission. The agreement gives film-makers access to funding and incentives in each country including a $1 million China Co-Production Fund for investment in one or more official feature films.
A big percentage of movies made in China are never screened because of problems with film quality and distribution -- and with the likes of the Media Design School, Digital Design at AUT University and Film School at Unitec, Auckland can become a training ground for Chinese film-makers.
Auckland is the centre for New Zealand's food and beverage industry and in consultation with The FoodBowl -- Te Ipu Kai, the sector can share its expertise and technology that leads to the commercialisation and distribution of quality food products across all three markets.
There's plenty to work on. But Auckland has welcomed the chance to play an active and important role in setting a new benchmark for how global cities engage, collaborate and create mutual economic growth opportunities in the 21st century.
