New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s recent visit to China, his first since November 2023, indeed focused heavily on strengthening economic ties, creating jobs, raising wages, and attracting investment to New Zealand.
Key outcomes and details of the visit include:
Trade and Export Promotion:
Luxon was accompanied by a delegation of prominent New Zealand companies, including Fonterra, A2 Milk, Zespri, and Silver Fern Farms, to promote New Zealand’s exports.
A significant event was a ceremony recognizing Fonterra for meeting the new “Grass Fed Standard,” which is expected to boost dairy sales in China, especially with the existing China-New Zealand free trade agreement allowing tariff-free dairy product entry.
Efforts were made to promote a diverse range of New Zealand exports, including meat, dairy, wood, and even skincare products, with the announcement of a new government certification scheme for Kiwi-made cosmetics to be sold in China.
Tourism and Education:
Luxon participated in the China Eastern and Auckland Airport route launch ceremony, highlighting the importance of airline cooperation for boosting tourism between China, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and South America.
A memorandum of understanding for strategic cooperation between Tourism New Zealand and Trip.com (2025-2027) was signed to boost tourism collaboration.
New Zealand announced a 12-month trial of visa waivers for Chinese passport holders traveling from Australia with a valid Australian visa, making it easier for tourists to visit both countries.
Efforts were made to attract more Chinese students to New Zealand, including an event at Fudan University.
Strengthening Diplomatic Relationships:
Luxon held high-level meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing, aiming to maintain a “strong, mature, complex, considered, predictable” relationship.
While the primary focus was economic, Luxon indicated that New Zealand would continue to raise differences on issues such as human rights and regional security, consistent with its independent foreign policy.
Overall Economic Goals:
The visit aimed to increase New Zealand’s share in the vast Chinese market, with over 20% of New Zealand’s goods and services exports already going to China, supporting over 100,000 jobs.
Luxon emphasized the “room for growth” in trade with China, noting that New Zealand currently accounts for a small fraction of Chinese trade.
