nz pm visit to china

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

New Zealand Prime Minister Hipkins visits China to boost economic ties

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, left, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (Shen Hong/Xinhua via AP)

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping, second left, talks to New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, second right, during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (Shen Hong/Xinhua via AP)

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins speaks at the “Braving the Headwinds: Rewiring Growth Amid Fragility” a dialogue session for the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2023, also known as the Summer Davos, at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in northern China’s Tianjin Municipality, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (Li Xin/Xinhua via AP)

In this image made from video provided by TVNZ, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, left, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before their meeting in Beijing, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (TVNZ via AP)

• Copy Link copied

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins discussed his country’s interest in boosting economic ties with China during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday.

Hipkins said the focus of his meeting with Xi was to “reaffirm our close economic relationship by supporting businesses (to) renew their connections with Chinese counterparts and helping grow new ones to support New Zealand’s economic recovery.”

Hipkins is on a five-day visit to China, his first since becoming prime minister in January, along with a business delegation representing areas including tourism and education.

Before starting his visit, he described New Zealand’s relationship with China as a “critical part of our economic recovery.”

New Zealand officially entered a recession this month after its economy contracted for two consecutive quarters. Officials say China is key to three of New Zealand’s engines for post-pandemic economic recovery: exports, tourism and education.

China is New Zealand’s largest export market, and Wellington over the years has managed to maintain warmer ties to Beijing than some of its Western allies. New Zealand has issued critical statements about China’s human rights and foreign policy practices, but has generally experienced less friction with China than other countries in the region such as Australia.

Xi praised “the great importance” of China-New Zealand ties, saying Hipkins’ visit was “very meaningful,” according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

Earlier in the day, Hipkins attended a meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Chinese port city of Tianjin alongside other foreign officials and joined a signing ceremony for four New Zealand exporters and their Chinese counterparts, according to a statement from his office.

On Wednesday, he is to meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

New Zealand prime minister Hipkins to visit China at end of June

• Medium Text

Sign up here.

Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Kim Coghill, Robert Birsel

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

World Chevron

Argentina passes economic reform bill in Milei's first big legislative win

Argentina's lower house early on Friday approved economic reform measures proposed by President Javier Milei, giving him his first big legislative win just over six months after taking office.

The Straits Times

• International
• Print Edition
• news with benefits
• SPH Rewards
• STClassifieds
• Berita Harian
• Hardwarezone
• Shin Min Daily News
• Tamil Murasu
• The Business Times
• The New Paper
• Lianhe Zaobao
• Advertise with us

New Zealand Prime Minister Luxon intends visit to China

WELLINGTON - New Zealand’s prime minister Christopher Luxon intends to travel to China in the coming months following meetings with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Zealand this week.

Luxon on Monday, along with Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Trade Minister Todd McClay met with Wang, who was the first high ranking Chinese official to visit New Zealand since 2017.

Peters said in a briefing to media on Tuesday that meetings with Wang had been “very convivial, very friendly” and that McClay would visit China next month and Luxon is “going not long after that.”

A spokesperson for the Prime Minster said Luxon had been invited to visit China, and the Chinese leadership invited to New Zealand but “nothing had been confirmed yet.”

If confirmed, this would be Luxon's first visit since he was elected as Prime Minister last October, however Chris Hipkins travelled to China as Prime Minister in mid-2023.

New Zealand has maintained a cordial relationship with China even as relations between China and other western partners have faced challenges. However, New Zealand, long seen as a moderate or even absent voice on China in the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, has increasingly spoken up about what in considers to be concerning actions by China.

New Zealand has raised concerns about China’s signing of a security agreement with the Solomon Islands, as it is counter to agreements between Pacific countries to work together to meet the region's defence needs rather that using outside partners.

Peters said he had spoken to Wang about the need for countries outside the Pacific to respect those agreements.

“We have a set of rules in the Pacific that need to be honoured,” he said he told Wang.

Peters said that Wang had raised concerns about New Zealand’s possible involvement in the AUKUS security pact but he did not think that New Zealand becoming involved would put at risk the country’s trading relationship with China.

“Countries are entitled to make up their minds about their defence interests or their security interests and to think otherwise is to live in some imaginary environment,” he said. REUTERS

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

• New Zealand
• CHRISTOPHER LUXON

Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards

Spin the wheel now

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins touches down in Beijing for make or break China trip

Thomas Coughlan

Share this article

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins touched down in Beijing in the early hours of this morning, beginning a week-long tour of China.

Hipkins landed at about 2.30am New Zealand time and was met at the airport by New Zealand’s ambassador to Beijing Grahame Morton and a welcoming committee of Chinese soldiers and officials.

On the tarmac, Hipkins was met by China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu.

He arrives in China at a pivotal point in the Russia-Ukraine war, in which Russian President Vladimir Putin saw his authority challenged by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary group.

Prigozhin launched a brief mutiny, taking a Russian city before a truce was negotiated.

Kremlin watchers think the episode is evidence of fraying morale inside Russia.

Members of the New Zealand delegation were checking their phones at refuelling stops in Cairns and Manila to get the latest from Russia.

This is significant news for China, which, though it has not picked a side in the war, is often thought to be implicitly backing Russia by not taking a more forceful position on the conflict.

The war is almost certain to come up in Hipkins’ visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday evening, NZ time. The meeting with Xi will be the most significant diplomatic engagement of Hipkins’ tenure as prime minister thus far. It comes after reports in the Australian that Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta was given a dressing down by her counterpart when she visited Beijing earlier this year.

His first day is relatively light on the diplomatic side, with the focus around business events hosted by New Zealand’s embassy in Beijing.

On Tuesday morning, he will appear in a series of events hosted by the World Economic Forum in Tianjin before heading back to Beijing to meet the Chinese leadership in the Great Hall of the People.

Geopolitical turmoil is an unwelcome intervention on what is otherwise a strictly trade exercise.

Ahead of the trip, Hipkins said trade was the bread and butter of how New Zealand made its way in the world.

“There’s not much more bread and butter than trade for a country like New Zealand, we are a trading nation.

“Trade is a centrepiece of the trip.”

This will not stop Hipkins from speaking up about human rights. In 2021, Parliament voted unanimously to voice concerns at human rights abuses against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

Ahead of the trip, attention was focused on US President Joe Biden and his decision to label President Xi a dictator.

Hipkins said he would not use similar language himself.

“I generally don’t think those labels are useful,” he said.

Hipkins deftly sidestepped the question multiple times. Asked to describe Xi, Hipkins said simply “I haven’t met him yet”.

This is Hipkins’ first meeting with Xi. Former prime minister Jacinda Ardern last saw him at the APEC summit in 2022.

The last time a prime minister visited China was in 2019.

Hipkins was taking no chances with this trip, which included one of the largest business and cultural delegations ever sent on an overseas mission.

Accompanying the main RNZAF plane to Cairns and Manila was a second RNZAF plane. This was back up in case the main plane suffered one of its frequent breakdowns. It return to Australia.

Thomas Coughlan is Deputy Political Editor and covers politics from Parliament. He has worked for the Herald since 2021 and has worked in the press gallery since 2018.

Latest from Politics

Is this the end of ex-mp golriz ghahraman's law career, "being brave is the deep breath you take before doing something you’ve never imagined before" - moana jackson, what does govt shakeup mean for your holiday and sick leave balance, jono and ben spice things up with hellofresh.

Ghahraman was denied discharge without conviction for shoplifting and fined $1860.

'Deeply shameful': Ghahraman speaks on shoplifting scandal

A site of rare beauty - Dart River

TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below. Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

• Destinations
• Jakpost Guide to
• Newsletter New
• Mobile Apps
• Tenggara Strategics
• B/NDL Studios

• Archipelago
• Election 2024
• Regulations
• Asia & Pacific
• Middle East & Africa
• Entertainment
• Arts & Culture
• Environment
• Work it Right
• Quick Dispatch
• Longform Biz
• Asia & Pacific

New Zealand PM Hipkins to visit China this month

China is New Zealand largest trading partner with New Zealand's exports there worth more than NZ$20 billion a year. Unlike Australia, New Zealand has not faced Chinese trade barriers in connection with various disputes in recent years.

Share This Article

Change size.

ew Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Monday he will visit China at the end of this month at the head of a trade delegation.

The New Zealand delegation would include representatives of a wide range of sectors including dairy, tourism, education and gaming, Hipkins told a weekly media conference.

"The relationship with China is one of New Zealand's most significant, wide-ranging and complex," Hipkins said.

New Zealand, part of the Five Eyes intelligence and security alliance that includes Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States, has historically taken a more conciliatory approach towards China than its allies.

However, New Zealand has  increasingly raised concerns  about China, in part over the possible militarization in the Pacific, where China has been extending its influence.

When New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta visited China in March she  raised concerns  about the South China Sea, tension in the Taiwan Strait as well as the human rights situation in the west Chinese region of Xinjiang, and the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.

Hipkins said New Zealand prided itself on its relationship with China being stable and consistent.

"That means where we have human rights concerns around trade or any other foreign policy issue," he said.

This will be Hipkins first visit to China since he became leader in January when former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stood down. He travelled to Papua New Guinea this year for a US-Pacific Summit.

Is Indonesia still an attractive destination for investment?

Ministry opens possibility of granting mineral concessions to religious groups

Why Indonesia's objection to EUDR has received global support

Related articles, why the eu should adjust its policy toward southeast asia, you need to calm down: why the taylor swift economy isn't real, china denies claims by us ambassador that beijing hinders relations, 'urgent' for australia to protect great barrier reef: unesco, guzman y gomez shares jump 37 percent in biggest australian ipo this year, related article, more in world.

Biden's shaky Trump debate alarms Democrats

A 'disaster': Biden's shaky start in debate with Trump rattles Democrats

Democracy worth fighting for, Thai MP says amid political turmoil

Communications minister faces tough questioning at House following cyberattack

Danger in the air

Civil servants, lawmakers in the grip of online gambling

Kpk seeks eight years for ex-garuda boss in procurement graft case, ministry blocks 1 million online gambling sites in first half this year, sal priadi is in the mood for love, eramet-basf's $2.6b investment plan only delayed, minister claims, kaesang denies being offered by jokowi as jakarta governor candidate, kpk files reports on justice’s acquittal in supreme court corruption case, japan, australia to face off in tough world cup qualifying group, business confidence growing except in textiles, ministry says.

• Jakpost Guide To
• Art & Culture
• Today's Paper
• Southeast Asia
• Cyber Media Guidelines
• Paper Subscription
• Privacy Policy
• Discussion Guideline
• Term of Use

© 2016 - 2024 PT. Bina Media Tenggara

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Chief reporter at the Global Times covering China's macroeconomy, China-US relations, high-tech industries. Lead reports on the Belt and Road ...

New Zealand's Prime Minister Chris Hipkins speaks to the media during his first official post cabinet press conference at Parliament in Wellington on January 25, 2023. Photo: VCG

China regards New Zealand as an important cooperative partner and has full confidence in the certainty and stability ...

New Zealand PM Hipkins to Visit China, Meet President Xi Jinping

FILE PHOTO: Chris Hipkins speaks to members of the media, after being confirmed as the only nomination to replace Jacinda Ardern as leader of the Labour Party, outside New Zealand's parliament in Wellington, New Zealand January 21 2023. REUTERS/Lucy Craymer/File Photo

SYDNEY/BEIJING (Reuters) -New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Monday he would visit China from June 25 to 30, leading a trade delegation that includes some of the country's biggest companies.

Hipkins will meet President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and the chairman of the standing committee of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji during his visit.

"I'm looking forward to meeting with China's leadership through various face to face bilateral meetings, where topics such as climate change, economic stability, regional and global security, human rights, and the war in Ukraine will be discussed," Hipkins said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for China's foreign minister declined to offer details on the upcoming visit, when asked at a regular briefing on Monday.

"What I can tell you is that China values its relations with New Zealand and looks forward to strengthening cooperation with New Zealand in various fields, including the economy and trade," spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters.

(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney and Martin Quin Pollard and Liz Lee in Beijing; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Gareth Jones)

Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters .

Photos You Should See - June 2024

Join the Conversation

Tags: New Zealand , Asia , international trade

America 2024

Healthiest Communities

Your trusted source for in-depth analysis on the issues impacting your community’s well-being delivered right to your inbox.

Sign in to manage your newsletters »

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

You May Also Like

The 10 worst presidents.

U.S. News Staff Feb. 23, 2024

The Best Cartoons on Donald Trump

June 27, 2024, at 4:25 p.m.

Joe Biden Behind The Scenes

June 7, 2024

The International Space Station’s End

Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder June 27, 2024

SCOTUS Update: Abortion, Guns and Trump

Laura Mannweiler June 27, 2024

Q&A: Suit Alleges U.N. Ties to Hamas

Pamela S. Falk June 27, 2024

SCOTUS Allows Emergency Abortions

Economy Slows But Grows in Q1

Tim Smart June 27, 2024

SCOTUS Hands Biden Social Win

Laura Mannweiler June 26, 2024

The Surge in Dengue, Explained

Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder June 26, 2024

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

New Zealand Prime Minister Luxon intends visit to China

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

By Lucy Craymer

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand’s prime minister Christopher Luxon intends to travel to China in the coming months following meetings with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Zealand this week.

Luxon on Monday, along with Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Trade Minister Todd McClay met with Wang, who was the first high ranking Chinese official to visit New Zealand since 2017.

Peters said in a briefing to media on Tuesday that meetings with Wang had been “very convivial, very friendly” and that McClay would visit China next month and Luxon is “going not long after that.”

A spokesperson for the Prime Minster said Luxon had been invited to visit China, and the Chinese leadership invited to New Zealand but “nothing had been confirmed yet.”

If confirmed, this would be Luxon's first visit since he was elected as Prime Minister last October, however Chris Hipkins travelled to China as Prime Minister in mid-2023.

New Zealand has maintained a cordial relationship with China even as relations between China and other western partners have faced challenges. However, New Zealand, long seen as a moderate or even absent voice on China in the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, has increasingly spoken up about what in considers to be concerning actions by China.

New Zealand has raised concerns about China’s signing of a security agreement with the Solomon Islands, as it is counter to agreements between Pacific countries to work together to meet the region's defence needs rather that using outside partners.

Peters said he had spoken to Wang about the need for countries outside the Pacific to respect those agreements.

“We have a set of rules in the Pacific that need to be honoured,” he said he told Wang.

Peters said that Wang had raised concerns about New Zealand’s possible involvement in the AUKUS security pact but he did not think that New Zealand becoming involved would put at risk the country’s trading relationship with China.

“Countries are entitled to make up their minds about their defence interests or their security interests and to think otherwise is to live in some imaginary environment,” he said.

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by David Gregorio)

Recommended Stories

Ai and heat waves pose dual threats to the power grid: morning brief.

Shareholders in the AI ecosystem are absorbing the risks that may arise from insatiable energy needs, and so are the rest of us.

Feather raises €6 million to go pan-European with its insurance platform for expats

As a foreigner, navigating health insurance systems can often be difficult. German startup Feather thinks it has a solution and raised €6 million to help some of the 40-plus million expats working and living in Europe. It is not that there are no options for foreign nationals to get insurance; there are plenty.

Austrian Grand Prix 2024: How to watch the next F1 race without cable

Everything you need to know about streaming the next Formula 1 Grand Prix.

How to feel confident in a swimsuit

Swimsuit season can be tough. Here's how to confront body insecurities and feel more confident this summer.

Fact check: Biden and Trump trade falsehoods and context-free claims at 1st presidential debate of 2024

During Thursday's debate between President Biden and former President Donald Trump, the two candidates offered no shortage of false claims and assertions that lacked context.

This early Prime Day deal gets you up to 50% off Ring doorbells and cameras

Step up your home security with a range of top-rated surveillance bundles to keep you safe and sound.

How did Trump and Biden do in the debate? 3 takeaways from 2024's 1st big clash.

A live, televised debate is one of the last moments with the power to actually change anyone’s vote. So how did Trump and Biden do? Here are three takeaways from the presidential debate.

Ubisoft CEO says Assassin's Creed remakes are in the works

Yves Guillemot, the CEO of Ubisoft, has revealed in an interview on the company's website that Assassin's Creed remakes are in the works.

USMNT denounces racist comments toward players after brutal Copa America loss to Panama

"U.S. Soccer stands firmly against racism in all forms and will continue to support our players."

Amazon Prime Day 2024: The best early Prime Day deals to shop ahead of the summer sale

Amazon Prime Day 2024 was just confirmed to run July 16-17. Here's all the info we have so far, along with early deals you can shop early.

USMNT's Tim Weah apologizes after red card for striking Panama player in disastrous Copa América loss

"Today, I let my team and my country down."

Former N.C. State star DJ Burns goes undrafted, joins Cavaliers for Summer League after losing 45 pounds

The Cavaliers Summer League team just got a lot more fun.

Valve reveals the most-played games on Steam Deck

Valve has added a chart of the 100 most-played titles on the Steam Deck, but making the list isn't just about number of players.

Please don’t get your news from AI chatbots

When Nieman Lab asked ChatGPT for links to high-profile stories in publications it had paid millions of dollars to, it spat back fake links.

Sean Taylor's daughter Jackie to wear his No. 21 with UNC volleyball

Jackie Taylor was 18 months old when her father was killed.

Earn a valuable Companion Pass with these Southwest business credit card bonuses (worth up to 120,000 points)

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Card and Performance Business Card have new welcome offers worth up to 120,000 points. See how to take advantage of these bonuses for your future trips.

I've trekked and camped all over the world — these are my 10 outdoor essentials

Got summer adventuring on the agenda? Get outfitted the right way, at the right price.

Cut the car clutter with Amazon's most popular trash can, on sale for $10

Say goodbye to mobile messes with this clever multitasker — it's leakproof to protect your ride from sticky spills.

Agility’s humanoid robots are going to handle your Spanx

Up to now, the humanoid robotics industry has been all promises and pilots. While important in the eventual deployment of new technology, these programs involve a small number of robots and often don’t graduate into anything more meaningful. On Thursday, however, Agility announced that it has entered into a formal deal following a successful pilot with logistics giant GXO.

Chipotle sales have been on fire. Here are 3 ways the burrito chain can keep them sizzling.

Chipotle is winning over investors, and one analyst thinks there are more levers the fast-casual restaurant could pull to keep the flame burning long-term.

Navigation for News Categories

China’s visa-free policy for new zealand visitors starts next month.

Tourists from New Zealand will be able to visit China for up to 15 days without a visa from 1 July. Photo: 123RF

China's pilot visa-free policy for New Zealanders will take effect from 1 July, according to an announcement by the Chinese Embassy on social media late Tuesday.

The visa-free policy will be in place for travellers from New Zealand, Australia, and Poland through the end of next year, the embassy said.

"From 1 July, 2024, to 31 December, 2025, ordinary passport holders from the above countries who come to China for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit for no more than 15 days can enter China without a visa," the embassy post said.

"People from the above-mentioned countries who do not meet the conditions for visa exemption still need to apply for a visa before entering China."

The visa-free policy was announced by Chinese premier Li Qiang during his official visit to New Zealand earlier this month.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson welcomed the announcement.

"This is a welcome development for short-term visitors to China travelling for business or leisure," the spokesperson said. "It will further strengthen people-to-people connections between New Zealand and China."

Chinese ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong said China's visa-free policy has attracted attention from "all walks of life in New Zealand".

"The number of people searching for information about traveling to China has increased sharply, and they look forward to an early implementation of the visa-free policy," Wang said.

"This fully demonstrates the strong will of all walks of life in New Zealand to further strengthen cooperation with China in various fields and promote people-to-people connectivity."

Copyright © 2024 , Radio New Zealand

RNZ Chinese is a dedicated initiative producing content for and about the diverse Chinese community in New Zealand. RNZ is an independent public service multimedia organisation that provides audiences with trusted news and current affairs in accordance with the RNZ Charter . Contact the team by email at [email protected] .

RNZ 中文 (RNZ Chinese) 是新西兰广播电台 (Radio New Zealand, RNZ) 推出的专项版块, 致力于关注新西兰多元华人社区,提供相关的新闻报道和内容服务。 RNZ 是一家独立的公共服务机构,依据 RNZ 章程,通过多媒体平台提供值得信赖的新闻和时事报道。欢迎联系中文团队,电子邮箱: [email protected] .

中国对新西兰的15天入境免签政策下月开始实施

从7月1日开始，前往中国的普通护照持有者若入境不超过15天可以享受免签政策。

免签可能最多达15天：李强到访，中国将向新西兰开放入境新政

中国将为新西兰公民提供最多15天（单次入境）的免签入境政策。

• New Zealand says PM's China visit to enhance exports

WELLINGTON, June 27 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins' visit to China will bring benefits to business export sectors, said the official New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE).

"The business delegation traveling with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins to China will have a dual focus that will benefit New Zealand's economy and relationship with China," said the NZTE in a recent statement. The NZTE is the government agency in charge of promoting New Zealand businesses to grow internationally.

Accompanied by 29 delegates, Hipkins is currently leading a trade delegation encompassing a range of export sectors such as tourism and education, on a visit to China from Sunday to Friday.

The delegates would benefit from the visit, and in turn, provide a boost for New Zealand's profile in China, said Andrew White, regional director for Greater China of NZTE.

A series of briefings were arranged for the delegates to enhance their understanding of China and the dynamics affecting its economy, White said.

"Of course, many of the delegates are very experienced and already have successful business operations in China, but change is constant here," he said. Enditem

Go to Forum >> 0 Comment(s)

Add your comments....

• User Name Required
• Your Comment

• INSTITUTIONS

WELLINGTON, June 14 -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Friday delivered a speech at a welcoming gala dinner in Auckland, New Zealand.

The following is the full text of the speech:

Remarks by H.E. Li Qiang

Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China

At the Welcoming Gala Dinner in New Zealand

Auckland, June 14, 2024

Your Honorable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening! It's such a pleasure to join so many friends in the beautiful city of Auckland. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, I would like to extend heartfelt thanks to people from across the New Zealand society who have given care and support to the development of China-New Zealand relations over the years. I also wish to send my best regards to the warm and friendly people of New Zealand.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's visit to New Zealand and the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between our two countries. At such an important moment, l am honored to be invited by Prime Minister Luxon to visit this land of fascinating beauty and abundance. We are delighted to see that in the past decade, China-New Zealand relations have made historic progress, and cooperation in various fields has advanced with unprecedented breadth and depth. New Zealand was the first developed country in the West to sign a Belt and Road cooperation document and upgrade its free trade agreement with China. China, on its part, has remained New Zealand's largest trading partner and biggest export market. Two-way trade has doubled from around NZ$20 billion to around NZ$40 billion. Our exchanges and cooperation in areas such as culture, tourism and education, and at the sub-national level are flourishing, and the number of sister provinces/states and sister cities has grown to 42 pairs. The fruitful results of our friendly cooperation have not only generated tangible benefits to our peoples, but also greatly contributed to prosperity and stability of the region and beyond.

If we delve deeper into history, more stories of friendship and more fruits of cooperation between China and New Zealand will come into view. In the past 52 years of diplomatic ties, China-New Zealand relations have long been a pacemaker in China's engagement with the wider developed world, and set many records along the way. The history of friendly exchanges between our two countries, which can be traced back to the 1860s when the first group of Chinese people arrived in Otago, spans nearly 160 years. For over one and a half centuries, our exchanges have continued to deepen, our cooperation has become closer, and our friendship and mutual understanding have kept growing. What I want to stress here is that despite the distance between us and the difference in national conditions, China and New Zealand have forged a natural bond of affinity and empathy, based on our many commonalities and similarities.

First, we both respect Mother Nature. China and New Zealand are both countries with magnificent landscape and diverse ecosystems. Reverence for nature is an integral part of our traditional values. That is why we both attach great importance to environmental protection and appreciate the necessity of green development. New Zealand is renowned for being a "land of the long white cloud" and "pasture under the blue sky." Capitalizing on its rich natural endowments, New Zealand is a developed country with advanced agricultural and pastoral sector, and an example to the world on ecological sustainability. New Zealand's experience offers valuable inspirations for China's modernization drive. The Chinese people believe in harmony between man and nature. Over the past years, guided by the vision of "lucid waters and lush mountains being invaluable assets," China has made vigorous efforts to promote green and low-carbon transition, and emerged as a leader of new energy vehicles, wind power, photovoltaic and other technologies. The green development of China and New Zealand not only benefits the two countries but also makes positive contribution to building a clean and beautiful world.

Second, we both embrace cultural diversity. China and New Zealand are both countries of multi-ethnicity. Through the exchanges, mutual learning and integration of various ethnic groups, inclusiveness has become a hallmark of both our cultures. In New Zealand, the Maori, Pacific Islands, European and Asian cultures enrich and inspire one another. In China, the distinctive cuisines, clothing styles, dialects and architectures of different regions shape the vibrant landscape of the Chinese culture. Our embrace of cultural diversity has fostered an open mindset in both countries. We both understand that resisting change will make one fall behind the times, while mutually beneficial cooperation is the only way leading to common progress. For the past decades, China and New Zealand have stayed committed to free trade, embraced the trend of economic globalization, and gained real benefits in this process. We have demonstrated with our own experience that openness and cooperation are the critical enablers of national development and prosperity.

Third, we both pursue innovation and creativity. New Zealand has a longstanding reputation for having a robust innovation culture. Since the end of the 19th century, New Zealand has been working to boost agricultural productivity through pasture grass improvement, selective breeding and other new technologies, which makes it a world leader in agricultural technology. With continuous breakthroughs in motors, electronic control and other technologies, New Zealand has nurtured a group of world-renowned high-end brands like Fisher&Paykel. China also attaches great importance to science, technology and innovation. In recent years, we have fully implemented the innovation-driven development strategy, bringing a constant stream of new technologies, new industries and new business forms. In the Global Innovation Index 2023 published by the World Intellectual Property Organization. China and New Zealand both have a high ranking. Our two countries have a lot in common on innovation. This provides a solid foundation for enhancing our cooperation.

Fourth, we both stand for world peace. This largely stems from our similar national characters. New Zealanders like to call themselves Kiwis. The term, as I have learned, refers to a bird and a fruit, and both are sweet and lovable. This nickname is now widely known in the world and has become a symbol of the kind, genuine and friendly people of New Zealand. In China, we often say that peace is precious, kindness is essential and sincerity is paramount. This is a principle hardwired into us by the 5,000-year Chinese civilization. Shaped by our shared traits, China and New Zealand adopt a similar philosophy and approach when it comes to international relations. We both underscore that countries should pursue peaceful relations and seek dialogue and cooperation, not confrontation or conflict, and that only in this way can regional and world peace and tranquility be safeguarded through joint efforts.

These precious commonalities are a valuable asset for our two countries. They have played a large part in the steady progress and fruitful cooperation between China and New Zealand in the past 52 years. Both sides need to cherish and protect the asset, and tap more into it as we continue to grow China-New Zealand relations.

Changes unseen in a century are unfolding faster across the world, and world peace and development is confronted with many difficulties. But just as a New Zealand proverb goes, "Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you." China is ready to join hands with New Zealand to stay true to our common values, carry forward our tradition of friendship and create an upgraded version of China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership, so as to generate strong momentum for stability and development in our two countries, the region and beyond.

First, we should deepen and expand cooperation across the fields. China and New Zealand enjoy great economic complementarities and broad space for cooperation. We need to cement the foundation of cooperation in traditional areas such as biomedicine, agriculture and food, and keep looking deeper for potential in emerging areas such as new energy and the digital economy to expand win-win cooperation and nurture new sources of growth.

Second, we should make our cooperation better serve the people. This is the ultimate goal of our cooperation. The people's well-being should be our important consideration in conducting bilateral cooperation, and inform our decisions on policy making, project planning and inputs, so strategic choices are made that truly benefit the people. We will include New Zealand in China's unilateral visa waiver program. This will further facilitate personnel exchanges between our two countries.

Third, we should contribute to peace and development in the Asia-Pacific and beyond. We need to strengthen communication and coordination on multilateral affairs, uphold the U.N.-centered international system and the international order based on international law, encourage all to practice true multilateralism, and work hand in hand to contribute our wisdom and energy to regional and global peace, stability, development and prosperity. In particular, amid the sluggish global economic recovery, China stands ready to work with New Zealand to be the force we are for global economic recovery and growth.

The Chinese economy has enjoyed an ever stronger momentum of recovery since the beginning of this year. In the first quarter, it got off to a good start with a 5.3 percent growth year on year, and maintained strong consumption, steady increase in investment, elevated levels of imports and exports and rising market confidence. In particular, the high-tech manufacturing industry and emerging industries are showing good momentum and fast strengthening China's new sources of growth. Forecasts for the Chinese economy are being upgraded by international institutions including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. China will continue to be the largest engine of global growth. Looking over a longer horizon, the Chinese economy will sustain a positive trajectory over the long run as we advance Chinese modernization in all respects through high-quality development and continuously unlock tremendous demand from our huge market of 1.4 billion people. More development in China is a great opportunity for the world. We are ready to continue to share opportunities with other countries to achieve common development.

Auckland is known as the "City of Sails." We Chinese say, "In a boat race, those who row the hardest win." Going forward, let us row together, and set sail towards a brighter future of China-New Zealand friendship and cooperation!

Copyright© www.gov.cn | About us | Contact us

Website identification code bm01000001 registration number: 05070218, all rights reserved. the content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to www.gov.cn., without written authorization from www.gov.cn, such content shall not be republished or used in any form., copyright© www.gov.cn | contact us, website identification code bm01000001, registration number: 05070218.

• Media and resources

Language English

Weekly Global Economic Report – 24 June 2024

Back to MFAT Market Intelligence Reports

Weekly Global Report: June 2024

We welcome feedback from New Zealand exporters on this report and invite requests for reporting from New Zealand’s network of Embassies and High Commissions . If you would like to subscribe to this weekly update, go to our subscription page (external link) or email us at [email protected] .

Seeking suggestions for Market Intelligence Report topics

We welcome feedback from New Zealand exporters on this report, and invite requests for reporting. If there’s reporting topics you believe would be beneficial to you or the New Zealand exporting community, go to our open forum survey. (external link)

Trade and Economic Updates

• Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently met Premier Li Qiang, China’s second highest-ranking leader, during his first official visit to New Zealand from 13 to 15 June 2024. The leaders released a joint statement of outcomes (external link) and witnessed the signing of a number of arrangements which will support closer cooperation in areas of shared interest, such as trade facilitation and conservation. This visit was an opportunity to mark 10 years since New Zealand and China established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Following his visit to New Zealand, Premier Li also travelled on to Australia and Malaysia to meet their respective leaders before returning to China.

Data released last week shows continuing weakness in domestic economy

• Data released by Stats New Zealand (external link) on Wednesday showed the current account deficit narrowing only slightly in March 2024 quarter. The current account, which captures trade in goods and services and net income flows, registered a deficit of $27.6 billion in the year ended March 2024. While this this represents a decline of $5.4 billion from the same time a year ago, when it was $33 billion (and constituted 8.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP)), the latest deficit still represents 6.8 percent of GDP and is considered too high to be sustainable.  
• The New Zealand economy exited recession during the March 2024 quarter, though only barely. Data released by Stats New Zealand (external link) on Thursday showed that the economy grew by 0.2 percent during the March quarter, up from a decline of 0.1 percent in the quarter previous. Stats New Zealand’s data showed expansion in the real estate and electricity and waste sectors, but continued weakness in construction, business services, and manufacturing. More concerningly, GDP per capita decreased by 0.3 percent in the March 2024 quarter. This was the sixth consecutive quarterly fall, with the cumulative fall since late 2022 now exceeding the decline experienced during the global financial crisis of the late 2000s. 

Data shows mixed picture of the Chinese economy

• Data released by China's National Bureau of Statistics last week showed the Chinese property sector continuing to struggle, with house prices falling by the sharpest rate in a decade. Prices of new homes in 70 cities slumped 0.7 percent in May 2024 – the eleventh consecutive month of decline – and the steepest month-on-month drop since October 2014. However, China’s retail growth showed improvement in May, with official data revealing retail sales rose by 3.7 percent on an annual basis, beating market forecasts of 3 percent.   

South and South East Asia

Minister of foreign affairs concludes successful visit to south east asia .

• The Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Viet Nam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste, between 4 – 13 June, demonstrating the Coalition Government’s strong commitment to lifting engagement with Southeast Asia. In Viet Nam, Minister Peters discussed progressing bilateral cooperation as well as international security challenges in the Indo-Pacific and met Prime Minister Chinh. In Malaysia, Minister Peters held the inaugural annual Foreign Ministers Meeting with his counterpart, and met Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. In the Philippines, Minister Peters witnessed the signing of a defence Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement, and the programme included a call on President Marcos. In Timor-Leste, Minister Peters was the first New Zealand Foreign Minister to visit in over a decade, re-connecting with political leadership, including with President Jose Ramos-Horta.  

BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

• On 10 June, Foreign Ministers of BRICS countries met in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. In 2024, the group expanded to ten members, representing about 28 percent of the global economy, and 44 percent of global crude oil production. The meeting released a joint statement covering a number of issues including climate change, human rights, Ukraine and continued conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa including Israel/Gaza. On trade, the statement underlined the importance of “local currencies in trade and financial transactions” between BRICS countries.
• According to media reports, the group was designed to bring together the world’s most important developing countries, to challenge the political and economic power of the “wealthier West”. Russia will host the next BRICS Leaders’ Summit in Kazan on 22-24 October, before Brazil becomes host in 2025. (BRICS countries are Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

European economic data surprises on the upside

• Economic data released by the European Union last week showed a more upbeat picture than many market analysts predicted. Wage growth increased by a strong 5.1 percent in the first quarter of 2024, up from 3.4 percent in the final quarter of 2023. Inflation for the month of March increased slightly to 2.6 percent, up from 2.4 percent in April, but still within the 2-3 percent target of the European Central Bank. Finally, the first estimates of the euro area trade balance (external link) showed a €15.0 billion surplus in trade in goods with the rest of the world in April 2024, compared with a €11.1 billion deficit in April 2023.

Inflation falls to 2 percent in the United Kingdom

• Inflation in the United Kingdom fell to the lowest level in three years in May, with data from the Office of National Statistics (external link) showing that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose by 2.0 percent in the 12 months to May 2024. This was down from 2.3 percent in the 12 months to April and was driven by a fall in food prices. The Bank of England (BoE) kept its policy interest rate unchanged as expected last week. Despite some stickiness seen in services-related inflation, the BoE is expected to begin cutting interest rates later this year.

Reports you may have missed

• A new report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) paints a sobering picture for long-term demographics and ultimately economic growth across advanced economies. The report, Society at a Glance 2024 (external link) , examining fertility rates across OECD countries, found that total fertility rates have declined from 3.3 percent in 1960 to 1.5 percent in 2022. The report cited several potential causes for this decline, including economic and social parenting pressures, as well as changing social attitudes. 

Market reports released this week

• Read the previous global economic round-up
• United States efforts to increase domestic semiconductor chip manufacturing – June 2024
• Opportunities in South East Asia: Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines – June 2024

The following links may provide useful information to businesses:

NZTE (external link) has a website focused on providing COVID-19 information for exporters. They’ve also launched myNZTE (external link) , an interactive digital portal of insights and tools available to all New Zealand exporters.

The Treasury releases a weekly economic update (external link) every Friday. Stats NZ has published a data portal (external link) with near real-time economic indicators.

MBIE publishes a sector reports series (external link) which provides regularly updated reports on all industry sectors that make up the New Zealand economy. These include official economic data and the challenges and opportunities that face New Zealand’s industry sectors.

Business.govt.nz (external link) provides tools and advice from across government to save small businesses’ time and help make the business a success.

MFAT has created a tariff finder (external link) which is designed to help goods exporters and importers maximise benefits from New Zealand’s Free Trade Agreements and compare tariffs in 136 other markets.

The all of government Trade Barriers (external link) website can be used to register any trade barriers experienced or issues exporting to an offshore market. Queries can be sent via the website or through the MFAT Exporter Helpline 0800 824 605. Enquiries will be sent to the government agency best placed to answer.

Tatauranga Aotearoa Stats NZ provides official data on the value of New Zealand’s exports and imports of both goods and services, by commodity type via the New Zealand Trade Dashboard (external link) . This interactive dashboard is updated every quarter and allows for filtering by country and by commodity type.

More reports

View full list of market reports .

If you would like to request a topic for reporting please email [email protected]

Sign up for email alerts

To get email alerts when new reports are published, go to our subscription page (external link)

Learn more about exporting

New Zealand Trade & Enterprise’s comprehensive market guides (external link) cover export regulations, business culture, market-entry strategies and more.

This information released in this report aligns with the provisions of the Official Information Act 1982. The opinions and analysis expressed in this report are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views or official policy position of the New Zealand Government. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the New Zealand Government take no responsibility for the accuracy of this report.

Download PDF

• Weekly Global Economic Report – 24 June 2024 [PDF 1.2 MB]
• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on LinkedIn

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our website, to analyze our website traffic, and to understand where our visitors are coming from. You can find out more information on our Privacy Page .

Geoffrey Miller: China foreign minister Wang Yi's perfectly-timed, AUKUS-themed visit to New Zealand

Related video: Australia to send team to New Zealand to investigate what joining 'pillar 2' of AUKUS could look like. Credits: Image - Getty Images; Video - Newshub.

By Geoffrey Miller of the Democracy Project

ANALYSIS: Timing is everything and from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment.

The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017.

Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy coincidence that the visit is taking place during the tenth anniversary year of the signing of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between China and New Zealand.

More from Newshub

That agreement,  signed  during a visit to Wellington by Xi Jinping in November 2014, marked the start of glory days for bilateral trade. New Zealand’s  exports  to China have roughly doubled in value since Xi’s visit. They now stand at nearly $NZ21 billion annually. Imports are not far behind, but there is still a trade surplus of some $NZ3 billion in New Zealand’s favour.

Indeed, China has been New Zealand’s  biggest  two-way trading partner since 2017. A consistent flow of agricultural exports to China – especially milk powder and meat – helped to keep New Zealand afloat during the Covid-19 pandemic while both countries’ borders were closed.

However, New Zealand’s exports to China fell last year for the first time (except for covid-affected 2020) since the 2014 pact was signed. Goods exports took a particular tumble, falling $NZ1.7 billion from 2022 levels in the year to December 2023. Only a post-pandemic recovery in services exports, driven by travel, was able to mask a greater fall. But it was not enough to prevent a $NZ500 million drop overall.

The  removal  of China’s last remaining tariffs on New Zealand dairy products at the start of 2024 may provide some hope for improvement this year.

But forecasts for China’s economy are mixed and a bumpy post-Covid 19 recovery seems likely. After an expansion of 5.2 per cent in 2023, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts China’s economy will  grow  by only 4.6 per cent this year and 4.1 per cent in 2025.

Given its food-focused exports, New Zealand is particularly vulnerable to sluggish Chinese economic growth. Tourism is also affected: visitor  numbers  from China for November 2023 were just 52 per cent of those seen during the same month four years earlier, before the pandemic.

A visit by Wang Yi cannot solve these wider macroeconomic problems. But it will put New Zealand’s crucial relationship with China in the spotlight.

There is every chance the trip could set the stage for an anniversary year visit to Wellington by Xi Jinping later in 2024.

However, whether this occurs will be highly dependent on New Zealand’s next steps in relation to Aukus.

It can be taken as read that Wang will have strong words for Winston Peters, his New Zealand counterpart, about Wellington’s apparent enthusiasm to entertain joining ‘Pillar II’ of the new pact.

The tea leaves are still being read after Labour lost power in the October 2023 election and a new three-way, centre-right coalition led by the National Party’s Christopher Luxon took office the following month.

A  joint statement  issued by Australia and New Zealand after the countries’ foreign and defence ministers met in Melbourne in early February claimed Aukus was making ‘a positive contribution toward maintaining peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.’

Reaction from the Chinese Embassy in Wellington to the text was typically furious. In an apparent reference to another section of the joint statement which expressed ‘grave concerns about human rights violations in Xinjiang’, a spokesperson  argued  that ‘groundless accusations have been made on China’s internal affairs’.

Meanwhile, on Aukus, the Embassy asserted that the pact ran counter to ‘the common interests of regional countries pursuing peace, stability and common security’. The spokesperson asked ‘relevant countries’ to ‘cherish the hard-won environment for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, and be prudent with their words and action to maintain peace, stability and development’.

An indirect, yet ultimately harder-hitting rebuke came from the Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand himself, Wang Xiaolong. Lamenting a lack of options after a last-minute cancellation of a flight to Auckland the day after the joint statement was issued, the Ambassador  posted  on X: ‘Stuck at Wellington airport clueless as to what to do due to the cancellation of my flight to Auckland and the lack of alternatives. Right now, I am really missing the high-speed trains back in China.’

The displeasure could not be clearer.

Earlier, New Zealand’s new government had sought to move swiftly on Aukus, particularly after Labour itself had laid the groundwork for the new Government by issuing a set of three hawkish defence  blueprints  just months before the election.

In December, Judith Collins, the defence minister,  said  that a failure to join Aukus in some form was ‘a real opportunity lost by the previous government’. Christopher Luxon then appeared to back her,  telling  media ‘we’re interested in exploring Pillar II, particularly in Aukus, and the new technologies and the opportunities that may mean for New Zealand’. Meanwhile, Winston Peters  called  for greater NZ-US cooperation in the Pacific, saying ‘we will not achieve our shared ambitions if we allow time to drift’.

However, the Aukus tide may be turning.

Bonnie Jenkins, the US Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, visited New Zealand in early March and  told  media ‘we’re still in the process of having discussions about additional partners’, adding ‘that’s not where we’re at right now’.

Speech  notes  for an address to be given by Jenkins also seemed restrained.

The lack of a concrete Aukus membership offer is not a new argument. In May 2023, New Zealand’s then Labour Prime Minister Chris Hipkins  called  the idea of joining ‘purely hypothetical’.

However, gradual shifts in language since then – culminating with Luxon’s comments in December – had suggested that a more specific proposal was afoot.

A looming US election was also a logical reason for New Zealand to act on Aukus sooner rather than later.

But perhaps nothing had ever really changed. A new government in Wellington might have been getting ahead of itself.

Alternatively, it could be that a rethink is now going on in Canberra, London and Washington over the merits of asking Wellington – or others – to become involved with Aukus at all.

In New Zealand itself, opposition to the deal also appears to be increasing in intensity. Labour is appearing to back away from its ‘open to conversations’  approach  to Aukus that was set by former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins during a visit by Anthony Blinken to New Zealand in July.

In February, Phil Twyford, the party’s associate foreign affairs spokesperson,  described  Aukus as an ‘offensive warfighting alliance against China’. And David Parker, Labour’s main spokesperson, said ‘we’re not convinced we should be positioning China as a foe’.

The same month, high-profile former Labour Prime Minister Helen Clark co-wrote an opinion  piece  in the  New Zealand Herald  newspaper with Don Brash, a former right-wing rival. The strongly-worded article called on Luxon to ‘reassert New Zealand’s independent foreign policy by making it clear that we want no part of Aukus’.

Finally, questions are being  asked  in Australia about the future of the original purpose of Aukus – to give Canberra nuclear-powered submarines – following a US decision to cut production of ‘Virginia’ class submarines in half from 2025.

Adding to the uncertainty is Donald Trump’s presumptive nominee status in the US presidential election campaign. A  survey  conducted in August 2023 found 37 per cent of Australians thought Canberra should pull out of the wider Anzus alliance if Trump wins in November. Meanwhile, Trump’s own stance on the Aukus deal remains unknown.

If all is not well with ‘Pillar I’ of Aukus, it is hard to see an expansion to ‘Pillar II’ in the short-term.

For China’s Wang Yi, the potential wavering over Aukus is an opportunity.

The clock is certainly ticking, but no final decisions have been made.

There is still time for Beijing to make its case to Wellington.

Geoffrey Miller is the Democracy Project’s geopolitical analyst and writes on current New Zealand foreign policy and related geopolitical issues. He has lived in Germany and the Middle East and is a learner of Arabic and Russian. He is currently working on a PhD at the University of Otago on New Zealand’s relations with the Gulf states.

Visa-free travel to China welcomed by people wanting to reunite with family

Jenny Zhang has plans to travel to China soon to reunite with her 100-year-old mum, and she has welcomed a move to give Australians visa-free entry for short trips.

"This is the best policy. It will provide great convenience to Chinese people living in Australia," she said.

"The Chinese community is very happy about this news."

The 15-day visa-free travel for Australians was announced by Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday, after a formal meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

"We agreed to provide each other with reciprocal access to five-year multiple entry visas for tourism, business and visiting family members — so as to better facilitate personal exchanges, China will also include Australia in its Visa Waiver Program," the premier said.

This change will also save Australians about $110, the current cost for a single-entry tourist visa.

The new visa-free travel scheme is due to come in within the next few months.

China's tourism industry peaked in 2019 at a value of $580 billion and has been recovering slowly, according to Statista.

They had forecast that it could take another five years to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels.

Not everyone happy with move

While Ms Zhang was thrilled with the upcoming change, Ramila Chanisheff, the president of the Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women's Association said it would not help members of her community.

"Our family members … we can not even talk to them — let alone visit them," she told the ABC.

"Not all of us will be given visas to visit our family members. And if we do, we will be worried about our safety."

Dawa Sangmo, the Chinese liaison officer of the Tibet Information Office in Canberra raised similar worries.

"The visa-free policy is not only an issue that relates to our safety, but a matter that is more beneficial to China and its government," she told the ABC.

There was not much detail in the announcement, but Premier Li did mention it would be "reciprocal", making it easier for Chinese travellers to enter Australia.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the second highest amount of tourists visiting Australia came from China, only behind arrivals from New Zealand, as of April this year.

However, overall, the amount of people travelling out of China is down 40 per cent from pre-COVID levels in 2019, Reuters reported.

• X (formerly Twitter)

Related Stories

Beijing offers visa-free entry to australians with defence talks flagged to avoid military clashes.

Calls for government assistance as Chinese tour groups allowed to return to Australia

'You are a liar': Chinese wannabe working holiday-makers furious over suspension of visa applications

• Federal Government
• Foreign Affairs
• Government and Politics
• Tourism and Leisure Industry
• World Politics

• Personal Finance
• Today's Paper
• Budget 2024
• T20 World Cup
• Partner Content
• Entertainment
• Social Viral
• Pro Kabaddi League

Pakistan doesn't believe in perpetual hostility to India: Dy PM Dar

Deputy pm said, pakistan would never agree to unilateral approaches or attempts to impose india's will or hegemony.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar sending a positive message to India on Tuesday said his country does not believe in perpetual hostility. (Photo: Reuters)

More From This Section

Haryana CM Saini increases freedom fighters' pension to Rs 40,000

C-DAC, AICTE collab to provide training in high performance computing

B'desh to gauge both Indian, Chinese proposals on Teesta project: PM Hasina

LS set for first Speaker seat contest since 1976; NDA fields Om Birla

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Pak to 'seriously' consider restoring trade ties with India: FM Ishaq Dar

Trade ties with india suspended due to heavy duties': pak's ishaq dar, pakistan's ex finance minister ishaq dar appointed new foreign minister, pakistan's dy pm ishaq dar in beijing; set to meet top chinese leaders.

Pakistan's newly appointed Dy Prime Minister Dar to visit China next week

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Jun 26 2024 | 7:38 AM IST

Explore News

• Suzlon Energy Share Price Adani Enterprises Share Price Adani Power Share Price IRFC Share Price Tata Motors Share Price Tata Steel Share Price Yes Bank Share Price Infosys Share Price SBI Share Price Tata Power Share Price
• Latest News Company News Market News India News Politics News Cricket News Personal Finance Technology News World News Industry News Education News Opinion Shows Economy News Lifestyle News Health News
• Today's Paper About Us T&C Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Disclaimer Investor Communication GST registration number List Compliance Contact Us Advertise with Us Sitemap Subscribe Careers BS Apps
• ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Budget 2024 Lok Sabha Election 2024 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)