New Zealand · China · Asia
New Zealand’s trusted bridge to China and Asia.
We open the doors through government and community relationships, then connect people to the right partners for education, tourism and trade.
“The best international relationships are built by communities, not just capitals. When a town owns its connections overseas, the benefits stay local: jobs, students, visitors and friendships that last.” Simon Appleton, founder
36
New Zealand councils supported with their international relationships
$200m+
foreign investment attracted through relationships we helped manage
60+
fully funded New Zealand volunteers who have experienced life in China
2013
Since then, helping New Zealand products reach Chinese shelves
What we do
We help New Zealand councils, communities, schools and businesses build lasting relationships with China and Asia, then turn them into real results.
01Live
Councils & communities
Your international relations office. We check overseas approaches and support sister cities, economic links, and community and youth exchanges.
02Live
Education
Sister schools, exchanges, study tours, international students, the China Volunteer Programme and Teach in China.
03Growing
Trade & tourism
Getting New Zealand products, experiences and regions in front of Chinese consumers, through our online platform, our cultural centres in China and promotion partners, including a government-owned supermarket chain in Xinyu.
Want to know what it costs? See our services and prices
Who we help
Choose the description that fits you best and we’ll take you straight to the right page.
Partner organisation in China or Asia (中国合作伙伴)? Talk to us
How we work
We don’t try to do everything ourselves. We look after the relationships, and we bring in the right people.
01
We hold the relationships
Long-standing, trusted links with councils, iwi, schools and Chinese local governments.
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02
We open the door
Introductions, letters, protocol and visits, handled properly and in person.
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03
We tailor the delivery
We shape the work around your goals and bring in trusted specialists, staying involved to the end.
Some partners pay us a referral fee or commission. We’ll always tell you when they do. How we’re paid
Volunteer & Teach
China Volunteer Programme
Young New Zealanders volunteer as classroom assistants at Chinese host universities and high schools, and become part of the local community. We look after you before you go, while you’re there, and when you come home. Looking for a paid role? Qualified teachers can apply to teach English at Chinese schools and universities through Teach in China.
Where
Host universities and high schools in China, mostly Jiangxi
Next intake
March 2027
Training
Before you leave, with Eastern Bridge Education
Support
Our team on the ground in China
Trade and tourism enquiries
Exporting to China, importing from it, or welcoming Chinese visitors? We connect New Zealand businesses and tourism operators with the right partners, channels and people on the ground. Tell us what you’re working on and we’ll tell you honestly whether we can help.
Does your town have an international link?
Most New Zealand towns already have a sister city, often one nobody is using. Our free Sister-City Directory shows who is connected to whom, how healthy each relationship is, and where the opportunities lie. It helps councils, schools and businesses use these ready-made links to find partners, open doors to new markets and build exchanges that benefit both sides.
Batch 1 is live: Hawke’s Bay and Bay of Plenty. The rest of New Zealand is coming soon.
Insight
The importance of sister cities
What a sister-city relationship actually does for a small New Zealand town.
Insight
Sister-school relationships: exchange and opportunity
How a link between two schools starts, and how to keep it going.
Insight
Why iwi should build their own partnerships in China
Relationships on your own terms, with tikanga at the centre.
Partner · separate company
Eastern Bridge Education
Eastern Bridge Education Ltd is a separate company and an NZQA-registered training provider. It delivers its own courses, including training for our volunteers and teaching for study groups. Its registration belongs to it, not to Eastern Bridge Limited.