Auckland, New Zealand - June 26, 2019 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of performance
2. Building the Southern Link Conference in progress
3. Attendees
4. Wu Xi, Chinese ambassador to New Zealand, giving speech
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Wu Xi, Chinese ambassador to New Zealand:
"This exciting idea fits well with the key features of the Belt and Road Initiative. Namely, connectivity, openness and inclusiveness."
6. Conference in progress
7. Map of China, New Zealand, Africa
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Jacobi, Executive Director, New Zealand China Council (starting with shot 7):
"As we know that our Chinese friends want to expand out to South America across the southern part of the Pacific. We know that our friends in South America want to reconnect back with China in the same way. So New Zealand is ideally positioned as a hub and a conduit."

FILE: New Zealand - Exact Date and Location Unknown (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
9. Various of vehicle moving containers

Auckland, New Zealand - June 26, 2019 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Bryan Johnston, Managing Director, First Global Logistics:
"It's more economical, it has a better carbon footprint, but most importantly, and Alibaba being the dominant e-commerce platform, Jack Ma's vision is that people in the world should be able to receive their goods in 48 hours."
11. Map of China, New Zealand, Africa, conference in progress
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Tim Groser, former trade minister of New Zealand:
"In a sense the Southern Link is already there, it's happening and it's been going on for some time, and I think really our job now is to try and find ways to turbo charge it."
13. Various of attendence talking
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Jacobi, Executive Director, New Zealand China Council:
"Wouldn't that be a brilliant deliverable from New Zealand, APEC year, if we could announce the Southern Link was fully open for business."

FILE: New Zealand - Exact Date and Location Unknown (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
15. Aerial shots of port

New Zealand is willing to play a bigger role in building links between China and South American countries under the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), said guests at the Building the Southern Link Conference in Auckland, New Zealand, on Tuesday.

The Southern Link is a framework first brought up by the New Zealand China Council in a bid to build momentum for New Zealand's better-accessing resources and markets along with the BRI-based global cooperation.

Wu Xi, Chinese ambassador to New Zealand, delivered a keynote speech at the conference by pointing out that the BRI has created new energy and momentum for global economic growth, and a framework for ideas like the Southern Link to take shape.

"This exciting idea fits well with the key features of the Belt and Road Initiative. Namely, connectivity, openness and inclusiveness," said Wu.

Situated mid-way between Asia and South America, New Zealand is the quickest route between the two continents.

New Zealand China Council's Executive Director Stephen Jacobi said while the idea of the Southern Link has been around for some time, the BRI provides momentum and a framework for New Zealand to turn the concept into action.

"We know that our Chinese friends want to expand out to South America across the southern part of the Pacific. We know that our friends in South America want to reconnect back with China in the same way. So New Zealand is ideally positioned as a hub and a conduit," said Jacobi.

The difference in travel times is significant. Exporting through New Zealand takes up to 36 hours compared to between four and seven days through Europe or the U.S.

"It's more economical, it has a better carbon footprint, but most importantly, and Alibaba being the dominant e-commerce platform, Jack Ma's vision is that people in the world should be able to receive their goods in 48 hours," said Bryan Johnston, Managing Director of the First Global Logistics.

The aim of the Southern Link conference is to identify the challenges and the opportunities of creating new links between China and South America, and it's also the first big step towards the development of an action plan to promote future Belt and Road co-operation.

Coordinating air services, fast-tracking visas and smoothing trade regulations are among the many challenges. But one trade expert says the Southern Link ticks all the political boxes.

"In a sense the Southern Link is already there, it's happening and it's been going on for some time, and I think really our job now is to try and find ways to turbo charge it," said Tim Groser, former trade minister of the country.

Some say it's a dream, but the operational target is just two years away when New Zealand hosts an APEC conference in 2021.

"Wouldn't that be a brilliant deliverable from New Zealand, APEC year, if we could announce the Southern Link was fully open for business," said Jacobi.

The Building the Southern Link Conference is being co-hosted by the New Zealand China Council, Latin America New Zealand Business Council, Argentine Council for International Relations, Chilean Pacific Foundation and China's Fudan University.