On March 18, 2024 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters in Wellington.

Wang Yi said, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and New Zealand, despite changes in global and regional situations, bilateral relations have maintained a sound momentum of development and become a factor of stability in the world. Mutual respect and inclusiveness, focusing on cooperation and benefiting the people are beneficial experiences in the development of China-New Zealand relations, which should be further summarized and carried forward by both sides. As this year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's state visit to New Zealand and the establishment of China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership, Wang Yi said that the Chinese side is willing to work with the New Zealand side to uphold the spirit of "striving to be the first" and create more "firsts" for bilateral relations to remain in the lead among China's relationships with developed countries, and see a new decade with greater development.

Wang Yi said that China and New Zealand have neither historical problems nor practical disputes. Instead, the two sides have many important consensuses and extensive common interests, and mutually beneficial cooperation has always been the keynote in bilateral relations. Wang Yi called on both sides to continue to respect each other's choice of social system and development path, and accommodate each other's core interests and major concerns. Wang Yi said, the Chinese side is willing to work with the New Zealand side to leverage the strong economic complementarity, implement the upgraded China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, launch negotiations on the negative list of trade in services at an early date, and build new growth engines such as infrastructure, green transition, digital economy, technological innovation, and climate response. Both sides should continue to improve conditions for personnel exchanges, hold various activities to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership, deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges in such fields as education, tourism and youth and at the sub-national level, and nurture more people like Rewi Alley in the new era. Wang Yi expressed hope that New Zealand will earnestly protect the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students and tourists in New Zealand. China is willing to enhance mutual understanding with New Zealand through dialogue, learn from each other's strengths, and jointly promote the progress of human civilization.

Wang Yi said that both China and New Zealand are participants and builders of the existing international system and order, and have broad consensus in promoting equality among all countries, big or small, multilateralism, greater democracy in international relations and free trade. China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with New Zealand within multilateral frameworks and jointly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order underpinned by international law.

Wang Yi elaborated on China's position on the Taiwan question, and issues related to Hong Kong, Xizang, the South China Sea and human rights, among others.

Winston Peters said that China is an important partner of New Zealand. Bilateral relations have made great progress since the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between New Zealand and China 10 years ago. New Zealand firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and looks forward to increased high-level exchanges, enhanced cooperation in economy and trade, education, culture and climate response, and deepened communication and coordination in regional and international affairs, pushing for greater growth of bilateral relations in the coming decade or even 50 years. New Zealand welcomes Chinese students and entrepreneurs to study and start businesses in the country.

The two sides agreed to further conduct high-level exchanges, hold intergovernmental dialogues in the field of foreign policy, trade, consular affairs, the South Pacific, climate change, and human rights, take further steps to facilitate personnel exchanges, and maintain active communication on China's participation in the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on Ukraine, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Korean Peninsula, the situation in the South Pacific region and other international and regional issues of mutual interest and concern.