New Zealand, China hold consultations on foreign affairs

On June 6, 2023, New Zealand Foreign and Trade Secretary Chris Seed met his Chinese counterpart, Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, in Beijing for the fourth round of Foreign Affairs Consultations New Zealand-China.

The consultations were held in person for the first time since 2019, and provided an opportunity to examine the broad and comprehensive bilateral relationship, along with discussion of regional and global issues.

“New Zealand places great value on these consultations, which contribute to our understanding of each other’s perspectives. They offer an opportunity to review the breadth of the bilateral relationship: the areas in which we cooperate, where we engage on issues that matter to us, and where we acknowledge and manage our differences,” said Chris Seed.

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The talks covered upcoming commitments aimed at reconnecting at all levels, including senior official dialogues, and areas of cooperation such as trade, people-to-people ties, agriculture, consular affairs, climate change and the environment.

The two sides also addressed divergent issues, such as Aotearoa New Zealand’s concern about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. Both sides discussed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

The consultations were held in person for the first time since 2019, providing an opportunity to discuss the extensive and comprehensive bilateral relationship

The secretary and deputy minister also exchanged views on regional and international issues, including the Pacific, Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine, Antarctica, the South China Sea and the integrity of the multilateral trading system.