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Chinese Premier Li Qiang will visit New Zealand later this week, his counterpart Christopher Luxon announced on Monday, as his Conservative government moves closer to Canberra and Washington.
“I look forward to giving a warm welcome to Prime Minister Lee to New Zealand. (exist) The visit was a valuable opportunity to discuss areas of cooperation between New Zealand and China.” The announcement was made on Monday, June 10, by Christopher Luxon, New Zealand’s head of government since last November.
Li Qiang will be the first Chinese prime minister to visit New Zealand since 2017. According to media reports, he may also visit Australia. Australian authorities have not officially confirmed the news.
The Chinese government’s No. 2 official is expected to arrive in New Zealand for a welcoming ceremony followed by a formal dinner “Within a week”Chris Luxon said ahead of a series of bilateral meetings. The visit follows visits by several senior Chinese officials in recent months. Minister of Foreign Affairs It is worth noting that Wang Yi paid a brief visit to the capital Wellington in early 2024.
China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner. Chinese consumers love kiwifruit, wine and milk. But if Wellington has long been one of Beijing’s closest partners among Western democracies, relations have become strained in recent years as China seeks to expand its military and diplomatic presence in the Pacific.
New Zealand’s new government has strengthened its ties with Australia and the United States.
It also plans to join the Ocus military alliance between Washington, Canberra and London. China takes an unfavorable attitude towards this. In May, New Zealand Foreign Minister criticized China, for its part, wants to strengthen its security presence in the Pacific Islands. Winston Peters warns against moves that could ‘Destabilizing’ or undermine regional security.
“New Zealand and China engage on issues where we have common interests, and we talk openly and constructively on issues where we disagree.””, Chris Luxon said Monday. “Our relationship is important, complex and strong.”
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