How the wine industry broke the European Union's dominance and what it means for the Trans Pacific Partnership. 

Speaker of the House Lockwood Smith is to visit Washington to push New Zealand's trade agenda.

Says Vijay Mallyaan an outstanding businessman with a great affection for New Zealand.

Still no detail on a free trade agreement, but the PM further advances the the Bollywood-Wellywood connection.

Prime Minister John Key, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and Trade Minister Tim Groser are off to Yokohama, Japan this week for the latest annual round of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings.

A range of regional and international trade issues will be discussed, with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) likely to be at the top of the agenda.

Mr Key will also visit Tokyo this week to strengthen tourism and investment links and to promote the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Free trade negotiations and a continued commitment to the emissions trading scheme are important to support further forestry sector growth, Prime Minister John Key said.

Forestry, New Zealand’s third largest export industry, brought in an estimated $3.7 billion of export earnings export in the year to June and is forecast to grow to an annual $6.2b by 2014.