China and New Zealand Strengthen Strategic Partnership through High-Level Dialogue

At a meeting held this Wednesday in Beijing, representatives from China and New Zealand strongly reaffirmed their dedication to maintaining high-level interactions and strengthening bilateral communication. The discussions, attended by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters, signaled both nations' determination to advance their comprehensive strategic partnership to ensure continued positive progress.

This visit marks an important milestone. It is the first senior-level meeting between the two nations this year and the first for Peters since he assumed office in 2023. Highlighting the importance of mutual perceptions and respect, Minister Wang, who also sits on the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee, proposed resolving differences constructively through dialogue.

Wang urged both sides to leverage China's open economic policies and large market to create further opportunities for bilateral cooperation, emphasizing collaboration in mutually beneficial areas. Specifically, he advocated accelerating negotiations regarding a negative list for services trade, promoting new growth sectors such as artificial intelligence, the green economy, and efforts to combat climate change.

In addition to pushing stronger economic ties, Wang pointed out the significance of promoting cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between the two countries, referencing China's decision to grant visa-free entry to New Zealand citizens. He expressed hope for reciprocal hospitality from New Zealand, particularly towards Chinese students and the Chinese community living there.

Acknowledging the shared interest in the Asia-Pacific region, Wang mentioned China's respect for New Zealand's longstanding ties to Pacific Island nations and suggested increasing their dialogue concerning South Pacific regional matters. He also underscored the importance of enhanced coordination at multilateral levels, given today's challenging international landscape.

On his part, Peters identified China as a valuable partner and reiterated New Zealand's commitment to the one-China policy. He voiced enthusiasm for intensifying exchanges across various sectors, including trade, agriculture, defense, and Antarctic cooperation, and showed eagerness to work closely within multilateral institutions.

Both ministers concurred on continuing discussions about China's potential accession to important regional agreements like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA). Additionally, they engaged in detailed conversations around key international and regional issues, particularly the situations involving Russia and Ukraine, and stability in the Middle East.