WELLINGTON: The Premier of China, Li Qiang, will visit New Zealand this week, Prime Minister Chris Luxon said on Monday. This rare visit aims at advancing trade but ignoring security issues.
Li is the first Chinese Premier to make a trip to New Zealand since 2017 and it is highly expected that he will also stopover in Australia.
New Zealand’s largest export market is represented by China while Wellington has stood out as one of the closest associates of Beijing in the Western democracies.
However, relations have deteriorated lately following China’s expansion of military and diplomatic control towards the Pacific region.
In a statement Luxon thanks his guest for visiting his country claiming that he can’t wait to do it in person.
“A valuable forum for discussion between New Zealand and China relating to collaboration” according to Luxon would be created by premier’s visit.
Li – who occupies second position after Xi–Jinping in the ruling Communist Party hierarchy – would arrive later this week with a formal welcome ceremony followed by an official dinner before holding bilateral meetings.
Li will follow many influential Chinese delegations who have visited New Zealand recently.
On an earlier trip to Wellington, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met senior officials and held high-level talks
Upon being elected late last year, New Zealand’s new centre-right administration had turned its focus increasingly towards closer relations with Australia and America.
Similarly, they are weighing up their participation in AUKUS—historic security pact between Washington, Canberra and London—which could sorely irk China.
The state of affairs was such that in May Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta took aim at what she called “increased…presence” of China within the Pacific Islands thereby cautioning against any actions that might “destabilize” or undermine regional safety and security.
On Monday Luxon mentioned that “China-New Zealand relations are complex.”
Jason Young, an expert on China-New Zealand ties said both sides had decided to shelve their differences during Li’s visit.
“This is a win for the high-level” said Young, from Victoria University of New Zealand.
“It’s mainly about both sides showing that they’re actually managing many challenges within the relationship.”
China’s diplomats and trade officials were targeting as many markets as possible with concerns over a slowdown in China’s economy, according to Young.
“For instance, New Zealand already has almost 30% of its exports to China. We are sort of at saturation point. Whereas for China there is much more scope for improvement in relations.”
However, Australia has not yet confirmed if Li will be going there after visiting New Zealand
“The potential visit of the Chinese premier will be confirmed in the usual way,” said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday.
Trade disputes between China and Australia have been put behind them with recent efforts to mend relations between them.
Starting in 2020, some of the most lucrative Australian commodities have been blocked from being exported to China completely.
Beef, barley and wine import taxes were lifted by China as relationships improved under new leadership in Canberra; moreover its timber import ban was lifted while coal shipments resumed.
