Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has begun his first visit to New Zealand and Australia in seven years.
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi met his New Zealand counterpart on Monday. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters received Wang in Wellington, New Zealand’s capital.
“There have been some important developments since we last met, most notably a global pandemic that has affected both countries,” Peters said at the start of the official meeting at New Zealand’s Parliament House, adding: “Today is a valuable opportunity to reflect on the challenges and opportunities that now lie ahead.”
Wang is the highest-ranking Chinese politician to visit the country since his last visit in 2017.
New Zealand has developed strong economic ties with China in recent years, becoming the first developed country to sign a bilateral free trade agreement with Beijing in 2008. This year also marks the tenth anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
China is also New Zealand’s largest trading partner. New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade reported that two-way trade in goods and services totalled NZ$38.67 billion in the year to September 2023.
Wang also held talks with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Trade Minister Todd McClay in Wellington.
“China looks forward to working with the two countries to implement the common understanding between the leaders, enhance strategic communication, deepen mutual trust, push forward exchanges and cooperation, promote the steady and continuous growth of China-New Zealand and China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnerships, and contribute to world peace, stability and prosperity,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.
Wang will travel to Canberra, Australia, on Wednesday for talks with his counterpart Penny Wong.
The case of jailed Australian citizen Yang Hengjun will be on the agenda. This will be the first face-to-face meeting between the two foreign ministers since Yang was found guilty of espionage in February after a closed trial and sentenced to death with a two-year suspended sentence.
Also on the agenda will be the lifting of the last of the trade tariffs imposed by China in 2020 in response to the previous Australian government’s decision to block Chinese telecoms giant Huawei from building the country’s 5G network and to demand an investigation into the Covid-19 outbreak.
The trade tariffs cost the local economy an estimated A$20 billion ($13 billion), but have since been withdrawn on most products except wine, rock lobster and some abattoirs.
