Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins has met with Chinese President, Xi Jinping and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Zhao Leji at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
The Prime Minister said New Zealand’s relationship with China was one of our most significant and wide-ranging.
“So I was pleased to meet President Xi and reaffirm our important bilateral ties.”
“I emphasised the key focus of our visit was to reaffirm our close economic relationship by supporting businesses renew their connections with Chinese counterparts and helping grow new ones to support New Zealand’s economic recovery,” he said.
The PM said the trio discussed the two nation’s economic ties and also people-to-people, cultural connections, and areas of direct bilateral cooperation like trade, education, science and innovation, agriculture and tourism.
“I also raised our shared interest in a stable and prosperous region, reiterating the importance of working together to support the international rules-based order and the constructive role China can play in addressing shared global challenges such as climate change, and the war in Ukraine,” said Mr Hipkins.
“We also engaged on areas where our cultures and political systems differ, and I reiterated we will always advocate for approaches and outcomes that reflect New Zealand’s independent foreign policy or interests and values, in a respectful but consistent way.
“Chairman Zhao and I also had the opportunity to meet this morning and discussed the importance of ongoing Parliamentary exchanges as strand of the bilateral relationship.”
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister attended the opening of the World Economic Forum ‘Annual Meeting of New Champions’ in Tianjin, and participated in a Panel appearing alongside the leaders of Viet Nam and Barbados, and WTO Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Mr Hipkins also attended a partnership signing event between four key New Zealand exporters and their Chinese counterparts, helping New Zealand businesses to reconnect and deepen relationships in this important market.
The Prime Minister will meet with Chinese Premier, Li Qiang today for further substantive discussions
