Chinese Premier Li Qiang has held out the promise of taking more NZ exports, but warned the Pacific nation against hewing too close to U.S. policy.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand—Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Premier Li Qiang has held talks with NZ ministers and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, in Wellington today but refused to take questions after making a brief statement.
“We’ve been pretty upfront about foreign interference … we have no tolerance for foreign interference from any country,” Mr. Luxon said. He added that AUKUS had been discussed.
There were also “a number of important arrangements” covering trade, environment, and economic issues between the two countries that were signed at the meeting, he said.
The prime minister refused to be drawn on whether New Zealand supported China joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), essentially saying it had no opinion and reminding the media that all the current partners needed to agree before a new one was admitted.
Mr. Luxon avoided answering if China was a “good” international citizen, instead saying it was a “very important” one.
Mr. Li said China was committed to upgrading its partnership to increase cooperation on trade and investment, adding that it was ready to be involved with New Zealand’s aim of doubling the value of its exports in the next decade.
He pointed to agriculture as one area in which Beijing had relaxed restrictions on New Zealand imports, and said this would be extended to include telecommunications.
New Zealand had also been invited to be a guest of honour at an import and export expo in Shanghai later this year.
But the carrots also came with the hint of a stick.
While the two countries had a “longstanding friendship,” Mr. Li said New Zealand needed to “accept” that the two countries would not see eye to eye.
He said New Zealand should pursue “harmony instead of uniformity”—a reference to New Zealand’s criticisms of Beijing over a range of issues including human rights, tensions in South China Sea, spying and cyberattacks.
Mr. Luxon said he was considering a reciprocal visit to China next year.
Chinese-New Zealanders massed at the premier’s central city hotel and at Government House, some holding banners supporting the two countries’ relationship and waving Chinese flags.
Practitioners of Falun Dafa, a meditation practice based on the moral tenants of truthful, compassion, and forbearance, could also be seen holding banners calling for the end of the near 25-year persecution of adherents in China.
A strong police presence maintained order, and the two groups stood relatively amicably side-by-side.