Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul have formally launched the New Zealand-Thailand Strategic Partnership in Auckland today.
Mr Luxon said Prime Minister Anutin’s visit to New Zealand had helped to set a clear direction for a relationship built over 70 years of friendship, trust and close connections between the people of the two nations.
The leaders discussed their ambition to triple two-way trade to NZ$13.5 billion by 2045.
“Thailand’s scale, manufacturing capability and regional connections create significant opportunities for New Zealand exporters and companies,” Mr Luxon says.
“Upgrading our trade agreement and strengthening supply-chain resilience will help more New Zealand businesses reach Thailand as a gateway to ASEAN’s market of more than 600 million consumers.”
The leaders also welcomed Thai Airways’ planned resumption of direct flights in the coming year.
“Thai Airways served Auckland for more than 30 years before the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the service. Its return is great news for tourism and trade – making it easier to connect, restoring an important air-freight link and strengthening connections through Bangkok to wider Asia,” Mr Luxon says.
“We have agreed to strengthen cooperation on border security, customs, immigration and cyber security, and against scam centres, human trafficking and drug trafficking.
“This will help keep New Zealanders safer at home and abroad.”
The leaders issued a Joint Declaration and welcomed the Joint Plan of Action 2026-2030, covering political and security cooperation; trade and innovation; people-to-people links; and regional and multilateral cooperation.
Read the Joint Declaration here.
