The New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre—Kōmaru Kura promotes knowledge and understanding of contemporary China in New Zealand through research, conferences, lectures, seminars, visiting scholars and short courses. Our activities cover all aspects of China Studies, including the Chinese economy and business, Chinese history, culture, politics and society, and China’s international engagement. The Centre seeks to build a network of New Zealand academics and China specialists to promote the study of China in New Zealand and to engage with leading Chinese thinkers and international scholars from around the world. The Centre collaborates with leading Chinese universities and research institutions.

The New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre—Kōmaru Kura is New Zealand’s national research centre on China. We are based at Victoria University of Wellington with New Zealand’s other seven universities all being University Members of the Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, the University of Canterbury, the University of Otago, the University of Waikato, Lincoln University and Massey University, and with each University providing a Deputy Director.

The Centre holds one major international conference each year, the New Zealand International Conference on Contemporary China, which brings together leading scholars to examine key issues in China studies for New Zealand:

• China’s Development (2009)
• China and India: the end of development models (2010)
• China and Japan in modern economic growth (2011)
• The Chinese model of modern economic development and social transformation (2012)
• China’s Global Course: the political economy of China going global (2013)
• China at the Crossroads: What the Third Plenum means for China, New Zealand and the World (2014)
• US-China Relations in Global Perspective (2015)
• The Rise of Chinese Agriculture (2016)
• Financial Liberalisation and the Renminbi: Implications for New Zealand (2017)
• China's New Tourists: New Zealand and the Year of Chinese Tourism (2018)

The Centre also holds conferences, workshops and seminars, often in conjunction with leading Chinese and other universities. China and the Pacific and Trump China and the Region are two such conferences. The Centre supports research projects, lectures, seminars, conferences, visitor exchanges and information sharing.

Additionally, The Centre arranges talks on matters of contemporary Chinese politics, commerce, governmental relations and culture as part of the China Capable Public Sector Programme (CCPS). The monthly 'knowledge transfer' talks provide public sector officials with a broad-ranging commentary on China and its relationship with New Zealand. The Centre also works with the CCPS to hold week-long Masterclasses for New Zealand officials to build knowledge of China and to give insights into managing engagement with that Country.

The China Capable Public Sector (CCPS) programme is a whole-of-government initiative to develop a China-savvy public sector with awareness, knowledge, experience, and leadership to engage effectively with China, both internationally and domestically.