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(Source: CGTN)

Beijing and Wellington have been strengthening their economic cooperation, especially since China's largest dairy producer -- Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group-- set up a production base in New Zealand. China is now New Zealand's top source for dairy product imports and the two sides are deepening cooperation further under the Belt and Road Initiative.

This is the Canterbury Plains in South Island, New Zealand. The milk here is good in quality and cost-effective. China's Yili Industrial Group set up its first overseas dairy production base - Oceania Production Base - here in 2014.

"New Zealand has very good grasslands and a unique natural environment. And costs are relatively low. So we set up our production base here to provide the best dairy products to customers worldwide," Pan Gang, president of Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group, said.

Processing and packaging here are done automatically to ensure pollution-free production. The base can now produce 56 thousand tons of whole milk powder, 30 thousand tons of baby formula, 80-thousand tons of ultra-high temperature or UHT liquid milk and high-tech milk protein products every year. 40 percent of the products are exported to customers worldwide. Over a hundred farms in the Waimate district now provide milk to Yili, while related local industries are also booming.

On March 25th, Yili Industrial Group unveiled its Phase-2 project for the dairy production base with an investment of three billion yuan, or almost half a billion US dollars. This is also a symbolic project under the Belt and Road Initiative.
 
"We will take this opportunity to expand our blueprint and market. We will make good use of the global resources and provide best services to our Chinese customers and customers worldwide," Pan said.