The Star: December 21, 2017

The Star 11
News
Local
News
Now
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday December 21 2017
Fire rages, homes at risk
University students visit Alibaba
CANTERBURY University
students have been given an
insight into business at the
world’s biggest and most
valuable e-commerce company.
The Alibaba Group traded
more than $25 billion through
1.48 billion transactions on
November 11 – Singles Day, a
Chinese festival shopping day to
celebrate being single – smashing
the previous
record
for a 24-hour
period of $17.8
billion.
But the
Hangzhoubased
company
worth
Jack Ma
an estimated
$420 billion
opened its doors to a group of 30
business management students,
who were offered a chance to
tour the headquarters and question
staff about trade during a
five-week trip to China.
“They learned first-hand about
the complexities of doing business
in China,” UC department
of management, marketing and
entrepreneurship dean Russell
Wordsworth said.
He said the students had
a “barrage” of questions for
Alibaba representative Jan
SIZE AND SCALE: A group of Canterbury University students at the headquarters of
commerce giant Alibaba in Hangzhou, China.
Basitiansen at the headquarters
about sustainability and
corporate social responsibility.
“They were impressed to learn
about Alibaba’s efforts to drive
development in rural China
and the philanthropic spirit
embedded in the firm by its
founder Jack Ma.”
Mr Wordsworth said the visit
to Alibaba “opened their eyes
to the size, scope and diversity”
of businesses that make up the
“ecosystem” of the company.
But they were most interested
in finding about when Alipay, a
secure online payment system,
would be hitting New Zealand
shores – although there is still
no set date.
It was the first time UC
students were invited to visit
the headquarters, a chance presented
by Alibaba’s New Zealand
and Australian business development
director Pier Smulders,
Mr Wordsworth said.
After three weeks in Hangzhou
the group travelled on to
Beijing and Shanghai to visit
New Zealand companies trading
in China such as Fonterra,
Zespri and The Warehouse.
Costs barrier to
repopulating city
•From page 1
He said while the city council’s
development contributions rebate
was helpful, it was often not
enough to get them over the line.
Banks also required 80 per cent of
the development to be sold before
ithey will lend money, he said.
Otakaro opened the $30 million
Rauora Park on Tuesday, which
will eventually be surrounded by
about 900 East Frame apartments
and townhouses.
Mayor Lianne Dalziel said there
needed to be a range of price points.
“You spend $1.2 million on a
small townhouse in the CBD and
buy a mansion out in Avonhead
for the same price. That’s the challenge.”
As part of the new programme,
the city council will work with
stakeholders to identify barriers,
encourage more diverse housing,
improve street maintenance, and
market the central city as a good
place to live.
“We can’t pull all the levers because
some are out of our control.
But if we can indirectly affect them
then I think we could be doing
that,” Cr Gough said.
City councillors have also asked
for staff advice on landbanking,
whether a regeneration plan could
help, and what options there were
to work with the Government on
the issue.
SHOP UNTIL
MIDNIGHT
on Thursday
Entertainment, giveaways and loads of fun from 7pm. Visit northlands.co.nz
northlands.co.nz
#shopsocial