BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday launched a 150 percent special export tariff on nitrogenous fertilizer and synthetic ammonia, a move to satisfy domestic demand, according tothe customs tariff commission (CTC) of the State Council.

On April 20, the country started collecting a 100-percent special tariff (a tariff yet again levied on export fertilizers in addition to the common tariff rate) on all fertilizer exports and some fertilizer-related raw materials through Sept. 30, a period of high domestic demand. www.chinaview.cn

Expatriate New Zealander David Mahon has worked in Beijing for more than two decades. His private equity firm Mahon China Investment Management Limited has been in operation through the time of China's emergence as a true global economic power.

His company represents the China-based investments and interests of a variety of international financial and industrial groups.

Mr Mahon himself has direct responsibility for the management of 19 Chinese companies. He also advises a range of companies across a variety of sectors on all aspects of their China operations, from strategy development to facility establishment and partner negotiations.

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Q: China is a big, growing, complex market. Where do the opportunities lie for New Zealand companies?

DM: New Zealand companies are often relatively small businesses, and they can feel that China is just too large to take on. Yet there's a great deal of 'know how' in New Zealand and that's the thing that is most required in this market at the moment. China is developing very rapidly, particularly in areas such as food and beverage where products are taking on an entirely different quality and type, presenting opportunities for large and small food companies or those developing food related technology. The size of a business shouldn't be a major barrier to considering China.