With stops in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai, it will be the first visit to China by a New Zealand leader since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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| New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is scheduled to visit China in late June. (Source: NZ Herald) |
“Today I can announce that I will be leading a major trade delegation to China later this month.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced a visit to China on June 12 to boost trade ties, despite deep concerns about Beijing's actions in the Pacific.
The last visit by a New Zealand prime minister to China was by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in 2019. Prime Minister Hipkins' trip will be the first trade delegation led by a prime minister to China since Prime Minister John Key's visit in 2016.
According to AFP news agency, it is still unclear whether he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and the exact date of the visit has not been announced.
Exports to China rose to more than $21 billion in the year to December last year – a quarter of New Zealand’s total exports – making New Zealand one of the Western countries most dependent on its relationship with Beijing.
Affirming that trade links between the two sides have grown strongly in recent years, Prime Minister Hipkins stressed that the relationship with Beijing is one of Wellington's "most important, extensive and complex" relationships.
That close relationship, coupled with China's moves to develop influence and leverage in New Zealand, has long worried New Zealand's allies.
Mr Hipkins expressed hope that the relationship remained "stable and consistent", and pledged to raise issues of concern where necessary.
Compared to its allies in the US or Australia, New Zealand has previously been less critical of China's influence activities abroad.
Prime Minister Hipkins will visit Brussels in the coming weeks and attend the NATO Summit in Lithuania, it was announced.
With the economy slowing and an election scheduled for October, Prime Minister Hipkins is under intense pressure to boost the economy, with GDP growth forecast to hit a low of 1% this year.
New Zealand currently exports a large amount of timber, meat and dairy products to China. Prime Minister Hipkins said he wanted to diversify exports to include items such as video game-related products.
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