China Premier Li to visit New Zealand this week says Prime Minister Chris Luxon
Li will be the first Chinese premier to visit New Zealand since 2017, embarking on a trip that is widely tipped to also take him to Australia.
WELLINGTON: Chinese Premier Li Qiang will visit New Zealand this week,said New Zeland Prime Minister Chris Luxon on Monday,a rare visit expected to focus on bolstering trade while setting aside security concerns.
Li will be the first Chinese premier to visit New Zealand since 2017, embarking on a trip that is widely tipped to also take him to Australia.
China is New Zealand’s largest export destination, and Wellington has been one of Beijing’s closest partners among Western democracies.
But relations have become strained in recent years as China has looked to expand its military and diplomatic reach across the Pacific.
“I look forward to warmly welcoming Premier Li in New Zealand. The premier’s visit is a valuable opportunity for exchanges on areas of cooperation between New Zealand and China, Luxon said in a statement.”
Luxon said Li — China’s number two official — would arrive to a ceremonial welcome and official dinner “later this week”, before a series of bilateral meetings.
Li follows a string of high-powered Chinese delegates who have made the trip to New Zealand in recent months.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi held high-level talks during a visit to the capital Wellington earlier this year.
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