New Zealand Herald 29.10.2003
By PAM GRAHAM
New Zealand radiata pine is to be recognised in Chinese building standards due to be finalised by the end of the year.
The confirmation from Chinese President Hu Jintao during his weekend visit was welcomed by forestry companies but they said details of building practices still being worked out would determine whether a lucrative opportunity was opening. "It means our product will be able to be used in building houses in China, but it is not clear whether the code is based completely on North American standards, " Carter Holt Harvey chief executive Peter Springford said yesterday.
The New Zealand Forest Industries Council, with the help of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been working for two years to have pine included in the code with North American species. The lobby succeeded in getting it into draft codes and it has been confirmed as being in the final code.
What is not known is whether buildings with timber frames will catch on in China where concrete is mostly used, or what dimension and specifications of timber will be used in buildings in the country in the future.