Ivisited the South Island of New Zealand this summer and there are two things that I could not miss - the huge sheep population and the influence of China, as well as the tensions that come with it.
In Kaikoura, a coastal town proud of its crayfish, seals, whales and its 'green global certified community' status, I was brought to a whale-watching cruise in a coach. It was not one from Europe or Japan, which boast of their green vehicles, but from a privately owned enterprise, Yutong Bus, in Henan province.
In Christchurch, where tourism accounts for 15 per cent of the economy, I met Adrian, a retiree who spent two days a week poling tourists along the scenic Avon River in a punt. 'How's business?' I asked, assuming that the global downturn and swine flu must have made his life difficult.
'It hasn't been better,' said Adrian. 'The Chinese and Indians are spending lavishly.'
By the way, he charged NZ$20 (HK$106) per passenger for a 30-minute trip and NZ$15 for a photo with his Edwardian punt.
In Queenstown, I joined a farm tour. Our guide Peter spent more than 30 years on the farm before joining the tourist trade. He sheared the sheep, showed my four-year-old the greasy, unprocessed wool and lamented its falling price.