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Services and prices
What we do, what it costs, and exactly what’s included
We publish fixed prices wherever we can, so you know the cost before we start. All prices are in New Zealand dollars and exclude GST. Your first 30 minutes are free.
Last updated: November 2026
Prices at a glance
Every price below is plus GST. Travel and other third-party costs are always extra, and we agree them with you first.
| Service | Price (+ GST) | Usual timing |
|---|---|---|
| First conversation (30 minutes) | Free | Within a week |
| One-off advice (all clients) | $200 an hour | As agreed |
| Ongoing contract | $160 an hour commercial, $130 an hour community | As agreed |
| Commercial retainer | $1,400 a month for 10 hours | Monthly |
| Community International Relations: Single organisation | $900 a month for 8 hours (12-month minimum) | Monthly |
| Community International Relations: Regional relationship (up to 10 participants) | $5,000 a month for 40 hours (12-month minimum) | Monthly |
| China Readiness Review for councils, iwi and CCOs | $1,200 fixed | 3–4 weeks |
| China Readiness Check | $850 fixed | 5–7 working days |
| Partner Check: Short | $350 fixed | About 5 working days |
| Partner Check: Full | $1,200 fixed | 5–8 working days |
| China Brand Pack | $1,200 fixed | 7–10 working days |
| Find and Vet Partners | $4,800 fixed | 4–6 weeks |
| Workshop: China-ready morning | $2,400 per workshop, plus travel | By booking |
| Business delegation to China | $3,800 per business, plus your own travel | Book early; dates on request |
| Hosting a delegation in New Zealand | $2,800, plus travel | Up to five days. At least 2 weeks’ notice; 6 weeks or more if visas are needed |
| Market visit hosting in China | $1,600 a day, plus travel | By booking |
| China Presence: setup | $2,800 fixed | Agreed with you |
| China Presence: monthly | $2,200 a month (6-month minimum) | Monthly |
| China Desk Essentials | $1,800 a month for 13 hours (6-month minimum) | Monthly |
| China Desk Growth | $3,600 a month for 26 hours (6-month minimum) | Monthly |
| China Desk Partner | $5,800 a month for 41 hours (12-month minimum) | Monthly |
20% off for local businesses. If your business is based in the district of a council that is an Eastern Bridge client, you get 20% off one-off hourly work and fixed packages. The discount does not apply to ongoing contract or retainer rates. See the terms
For councils, iwi and CCOs, the usual starting point is the $900 a month Community International Relations retainer, which includes 8 hours. Casual hourly work is $200 an hour, the same as for businesses.
Hourly rates
For councils, iwi and CCOs
New Zealand’s trusted bridge to China and Asia. This is where Eastern Bridge started: since 2014 we have been the international relations team for councils that don’t have one of their own. Start with a Review, or bring us in for ongoing support.
Who’s eligible: these community prices are only for New Zealand councils (district, city and regional), iwi and council-controlled organisations (CCOs), working on their own community’s international relationships. Businesses, business associations, chambers and other organisations use our standard services and prices. We confirm eligibility in writing before we start.
| Single organisation | Regional relationship | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (+ GST) | $900 a month | $5,000 a month |
| Who it covers | One council, iwi or CCO | Up to 10 participants: district, city and regional councils, iwi and CCOs |
| Hours included each month | Up to 8 | Up to 40, shared across the group |
| Partner checks | Included in your monthly fee | Included in your monthly fee |
| Minimum term | 12 months | 12 months |
| Best for | One or two overseas relationships, mostly correspondence and visits | A region working together on one relationship, such as a sister province |
No payment from the other side. We never take payment from an overseas party we are checking or liaising with for you. If any partner pays us a fee for anything, we tell you in writing first.
Getting started
Short, fixed-price pieces of work. Most businesses start here.
Connecting with partners, groups and delegations
Help on the ground in China
This work is carried out in China by Beijing New Bridge, a separate company in China in which Eastern Bridge holds a 30% share. You deal with us and we invoice you, and every quote says when Beijing New Bridge is involved.
Showcase and online store places in China are also available through Beijing New Bridge. Ask us.
Commercial retainer
$1,400 + GST a month for 10 hours
For businesses that want a set number of hours each month, at a lower rate than one-off work.
Extra hours are $160 + GST an hour. We check with you before going over your included hours. Invoiced monthly in advance. Unused included hours do not carry over. Minimum term 6 months, then month to month with 30 days’ written notice.
China Desk retainers
For businesses that want ongoing help. You get a set number of hours each month, a named team, and priority when you need a check done quickly.
| Essentials | Growth | Partner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (+ GST) | $1,800 a month | $3,600 a month | $5,800 a month |
| Hours included each month | Up to 13 | Up to 26 | Up to 41 |
| What’s included | Handling messages with your Chinese contacts in Chinese and English; following up one partner conversation; priority booking for checks; a monthly service summary | Everything in Essentials, plus introductions we look for on your behalf; one Partner Check: Short each quarter; coordinating your Chinese content with our team in China; a quarterly strategy call | Everything in Growth, plus a named contact in China; an agreed action in China each month, such as a meeting or follow-up visit on your behalf; two Partner Check: Full reports a year |
| Minimum term | 6 months | 6 months | 12 months |
| Best for | Businesses with one live China conversation, or Chinese customers coming to you | Businesses actively selling or looking for partners | Businesses working with several partners or selling in China |
How retainers work
- Retainers are invoiced monthly in advance.
- Included hours are for that calendar month. For community organisations (councils, iwi and CCOs), unused included hours carry forward and accrue through the year, and lapse at the end of each 12-month term. For all other clients, unused included hours don’t carry over.
- Checks included in Growth and Partner must be used within their quarter or year, and don’t carry over. This applies to all clients, including community organisations.
- Extra hours are charged at that client’s ongoing rate: $160 + GST an hour for commercial retainers (including China Desk), or $130 + GST an hour for community retainers. We check with you before going over your included hours.
- Travel and other third-party costs are extra and agreed with you first.
- The minimum term is a commitment. If you end a retainer during the minimum term, the fees for the rest of that term are still payable.
- After the minimum term, your retainer continues month to month. Either of us can end it with 30 days’ written notice.
- Content production, Chinese advertising and China Presence work are not part of a retainer unless we agree it in writing.
Credit for work you have already paid for: if you start a retainer within 60 days of a China Readiness Check, the full amount you paid comes off your first month. After a Partner Check: Full, half of the fee comes off.
20% off for businesses in a client council’s district
If your business is based in the district of a council that is an Eastern Bridge client, you get 20% off our business prices. Ask us if your council is a client.
- Applies to: the one-off hourly rate, Partner Checks, the China Readiness Check, the China Brand Pack, Find and Vet Partners, and chamber workshops (where the chamber is in that district).
- Doesn’t apply to: ongoing contract rates, retainers (including the commercial retainer and China Desk), extra retainer hours, business delegation fees, hosting delegations, market visit hosting, China Presence, or any third-party costs, such as flights, accommodation, travel, visas, venues, interpreters and translators we engage, government or platform fees, or Beijing New Bridge charges.
- “Based in the district” means your business’s main premises are within that council’s district.
- It can’t be combined with any other discount or with the community rate. Retainer credits for a Readiness Check or Full check still apply, based on the amount you actually paid.
- We confirm your eligibility in writing before we start. The discount applies to one-off hourly work and fixed packages agreed while your council is a client.
What our prices never include
Eastern Bridge is an adviser and connector. We don’t:
- give legal, tax or New Zealand immigration advice
- sign off food safety, labelling, GACC or CIFER registration, or other compliance
- search for or file trade marks
- buy, sell or hold goods, or arrange freight or customs clearance
- book travel. Travel is booked through licensed travel partners.
Where you need these, we tell you who to go to, such as MPI, NZTE, Pacific Trade Invest, a lawyer, a trade-mark attorney, a licensed immigration adviser or a freight forwarder.
We don’t promise sales, partners, investment, grants or visa outcomes. We do promise honest advice, including telling you when China isn’t the right move yet.
Payment and other terms
- Every price is in New Zealand dollars and excludes GST.
- We confirm the price, what’s included and the timing in writing before we start. That price holds for that piece of work.
- Fixed-price work: 50% when you confirm and 50% on completion. For delegations, the balance is due before departure.
- Hourly work is invoiced monthly. Retainers are invoiced monthly in advance.
- Invoices are due within 14 days unless we agree otherwise in writing.
- Third-party costs, such as travel, are agreed with you first and charged at cost. Some, such as travel booked through a licensed partner, you pay directly to them.
- Timings start once we have your go-ahead, the first payment and the information we need.
- Cancellation terms for delegations and hosting are set out in your written agreement.
- If a partner pays us a referral fee or commission, we tell you in writing before you decide. How we’re paid
Not sure which service fits?
Start with a free 30-minute conversation. We’ll tell you honestly what you need, and what you don’t.