China CNR Corporation Limited, one of the country's top two train makers, agreed Friday to export 20 diesel locomotives to New Zealand.
This will be the first time that China-made locomotives will be exported in batches to a developed country.
The contract was signed Friday between LORIC Import & Export Corp Ltd, CNR's foreign trade arm, and New Zealand's KiwiRail, a state-operated railway company.
The first six locomotives will be delivered on May 19, 2010, and the remaining 14 locomotives on August 19, 2010.
KiwiRail manages more than 90 percent of the railway operation in New Zealand, which currently has 4,700-km track lines. New Zealand has been a traditional market for US locomotives for years.
CNR president Cui Dianguo said the project would help the company to develop new markets among developed countries, as this project demonstrated the firm's "ability to provide locomotives with up-to-date technology for developed countries".
CNR is reorganized from China northern Locomotive and rolling Stock Industry (Group) in June, 2008.
New Zealand is the first developed country to recognize China's market economy status, and also the first developed country to negotiate a free trade agreement with China.
