New Zealand Foreign Minister (FM) Winston Peters met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in the nation’s capital of Wellington today, March 18th. Wang’s trip to New Zealand is the first official visit to the country since 2017.
The ministers discussed various topics such as trade, business, exchanges, and regional issues in the Oceania region during the meeting. New Zealand also said that while there is cooperation between New Zealand and China, there are still areas of “difference,” such as human rights in Tibet, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang.
Further topics included efforts to de-escalate tension between North and South Korea, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Peters also “raised concerns” about the increased tensions in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.
Officials said they look forward to future discussions later this year that will focus on climate change, human rights, foreign affairs, the Indo-Pacific region, and trade.
Wang Yi also met with New Zealand Prime Minister (PM) Christopher Luxon and Trade Minister Todd McClay during the visit.
