China, New Zealand to strive for mutually beneficial cooperation

China and New Zealand have reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining high-level exchanges and strengthening communication and cooperation to ensure their comprehensive strategic partnership moves forward on the right track and achieves greater progress.

The pledge was made during talks between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of New Zealand Winston Peters in Beijing on Wednesday.

Peters' three-day visit to China, which started on Tuesday, marks the first high-level exchange between China and New Zealand this year and is also the first of its kind by Peters since he took office in 2023.

During the meeting, Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that the two countries should uphold a correct perception of each other.

He called for further development of friendly cooperation on the basis of mutual respect while properly addressing specific differences through constructive dialogue.

Emphasizing that China's high-level opening-up and its ultra-large market will continue to provide greater opportunities for cooperation with New Zealand, Wang called on the two nations to focus on mutually beneficial cooperation.

Both countries should work to accelerate negotiations on a negative list for service trade, and jointly foster new growth engines in areas including artificial intelligence, the green economy, and climate change response, he said.

Wang also underlined the need to strengthen dialogue and exchanges.

China has unilaterally granted visa-free entry to New Zealand citizens, which promotes mutual understanding between the two peoples, he said while expressing the hope that New Zealand will continue to provide a favorable environment for Chinese students and overseas Chinese people on its soil.

The Asia-Pacific region is a shared home for both countries, and China respects New Zealand's traditional ties with Pacific Island nations, he said, adding that Beijing and Wellington can enhance communication on issues of mutual concern through consultations on South Pacific affairs.

Given the complex and turbulent international situation, it is even more important for China and New Zealand to strengthen multilateral coordination, Wang added.

Calling Beijing an important partner for Wellington, Peters said New Zealand firmly upholds the one-China policy and looks forward to deepening exchanges at all levels, as well as enhancing cooperation in areas including trade, agriculture, defense, and Antarctic affairs.

He also expressed New Zealand's willingness to collaborate more closely with China in multilateral institutions, to further advance bilateral ties.

Both sides agreed to continue discussions on China's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement.

They also had in-depth exchanges on international and regional issues of common concern, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the situation in the Middle East.