Nelson Mayor Aldo Miccio is set to head back to China later this year to develop business links.

The city council's governance committee will decide on Tuesday whether to approve estimated travel costs of $5200 plus disbursements for Mr Miccio's trip to China and Japan in September.

Mr Miccio said he and Nelson Regional Economic Development Agency chief executive Bill Findlater would be heading back to China to follow up business development opportunities forged this year. They would be revisiting Huangzhou, known as the e-commerce capital of China, and Nelson's sister city, Huangshi.

From a cultural perspective it was important that the Nelson mayor went on the trip, because there was an expectation from counterparts in China that that was appropriate, Mr Findlater said.

He said securing opportunities in China was one of the most important things Nelson was doing right now for its future. He said the Chinese held mayors in high regard.

"They have a great deal of respect for mayors - more than what they do for government officials, and that's why Aldo is going," Mr Findlater said.

They would be progressing deals started when they visited China in April, including a potentially lucrative online trading opportunity for Nelson businesses with China.

Mr Miccio earlier described the e-commerce deal to allow Nelson businesses to sell their products to China as "ground-breaking stuff".

Mr Findlater said the trip in September would allow for further "one-on-one" discussions with a couple of parties about various opportunities between Huangzhou and Nelson.

He said dealing with China was about building relations first. The EDA's role was also helping individual businesses hoping to work with China.

"This is one of the most important things Nelson is doing for its future," Mr Findlater said.

Mr Miccio, whose private business dealings extend to links in China, said Nelson's future, and that of the rest of the country, relied on having a place in the Asian market.

"If we don't get on board now the region doesn't have much chance of prospering."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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