Summarised by Centrist
In his first visit to China as Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon will meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing next week, accompanied by a business delegation and the kapa haka champions Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue.
“China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner and a vital part of our economic story,” Luxon said, calling the visit a push to “back the recovery of international education and tourism.”
He’ll also stop in Shanghai before heading to Europe to attend the NATO leaders’ summit in The Hague and hold trade talks in Brussels.
New Zealand is not a NATO member but was again invited as part of the Indo-Pacific 4 nations, along with Australia, Japan and South Korea. Luxon said the NATO visit would focus on “connections between the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security environments,” tying prosperity to shared security.
Luxon’s government sees trade with China, worth over NZ$38 billion last year, as key to economic recovery. But issues remain. While China is keen for visa-waiver travel to resume, Luxon’s government is reportedly cautious due to the number of Chinese visitors overstaying or seeking asylum.
The wider trip also includes a message of economic outreach to Europe. “I look forward to forging stronger links with businesses and investors as part of our wider plan to rebuild New Zealand’s economy,” Luxon said.
Read more over at Reuters and The NZ Herald
