Despite New Zealand’s foreign buyer ban, the coronavirus outbreak has led many Chinese to consider buying New Zealand properties as boltholes, reported NewstalkZB (18 February 2020). According to Georg Chmiel, executive chairman of Juwai IQI, "Chinese online and social media real estate buying inquiries in New Zealand have jumped 32 per cent during the period of the coronavirus. Only Vietnam is seeing a bigger increase, up 43 per cent."