Photo: Vicky Hanqi Lu/GT

Although the international situation is undergoing complex and profound changes with increasing challenges, China has always regarded New Zealand as a sincere friend and important partner, and is full of expectations and confidence in the future development of the bilateral relationship, Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong told the Global Times in an interview on the occasion of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to the country.

China is willing to work with New Zealand to continue strengthening high-level exchanges and deepening political mutual trust, further elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, better benefiting both nations and their peoples, and making new contributions to international and regional peace, stability, and prosperity, he said.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to New Zealand and the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to New Zealand after seven years is of great significance as it will kick off high-level exchanges between the two countries this year. Both sides attach great importance to this visit, Wang Xiaolong told the Global Times.

Together with New Zealand, China hopes that the two countries can implement the consensus reached by the two state leaders, strengthen strategic communication, enhance political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, and jointly promote the steady and far-reaching development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand, making positive contributions to world peace, stability, development and prosperity, Wang Xiaolong noted.

Speaking of the bilateral relations over the past 10 years, Wang Xiaolong said that China and New Zealand have been deepening and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, mutual benefit, and seeking common ground while shelving differences, bringing tangible benefits to both countries, especially their peoples.

"Despite being separated by oceans and having different social systems, development stages, natural endowments, and economic sizes, the two sides have always enhanced mutual understanding through constructive dialogue, and differences and disagreements have not affected our friendly exchanges and cooperation," he said.

Over the past decade, high-level exchanges between China and New Zealand have maintained positive momentum, with political mutual trust deepening continuously. Leaders of the two countries have exchanged views on the development of bilateral relations through high-level visits, meetings in multilateral settings, and have reached important consensus. The foreign ministers have held multiple meetings online and offline, and officials from various departments have also engaged in dialogues and exchanges on different occasions, effectively enhancing mutual understanding and trust between the two countries.

Since 2013, China has been New Zealand's largest trading partner for 10 consecutive years, Wang Xiaolong said, noting that the two countries have seen steady progress in goods trade, as well as flourishing cooperation in services trade, industrial investment, technology collaboration, digital economy, and green economy.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and the upgraded version of the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement have injected new momentum into economic and trade cooperation. Bilateral trade in goods and services has increased from NZ$ 19.8 billion ($12.06 billion) in 2013 to NZ$ 38 billion in 2023. Especially since the beginning of this year, all New Zealand dairy exports to China have been completely tariff-free, with the full implementation of the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, further advancing mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries, Wang Xiaolong said.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has indeed had an impact on cultural exchanges between the two countries, since last year, the two countries have restarted scientist exchange programs, he said. The Xuelong 2 research icebreaker has made multiple stops in New Zealand for supplies and exchanges. The Chinese women's field hockey team, men's soccer team, and film production teams have visited New Zealand. Chinese tourists and students have also accelerated their return to New Zealand, revitalizing cultural exchanges between the two countries.

The Chinese ambassador pointed out that with the joint efforts of both sides, the connotation of the new comprehensive strategic partnership has been enriched and expanded in the past 10 years. China-New Zealand relations have become a model of mutual respect and win-win cooperation between countries with different systems, civilizations, and sizes.

Although the international situation is undergoing complex and profound changes with increasing challenges, the importance of China-New Zealand relations has not changed, Wang Xiaolong stressed.

"The complementarity of the two countries' economies has not changed, and China's positive attitude and policies towards the development of China-New Zealand relations have not changed," he told the Global Times. "China has always regarded New Zealand as a sincere friend and important partner, and is full of expectations and confidence in the future development prospects of the two countries' relations."

He said that China looks forward to working together with New Zealand to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, adhere to mutual respect, equality, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and mutual benefit, continue to strengthen high-level exchanges and political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation in various fields such as economy and trade, tighten the bond of cultural exchanges, deepen communication and cooperation on international and regional issues, constructively manage and transcend differences, and promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to a new level, better benefiting both countries and their peoples, and making new contributions to international and regional peace, stability, and development.

Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is currently on a tour from Sunday to Thursday visiting New Zealand and Australia. On Monday, Wang Yi met with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon with both sides pledging further efforts to strengthen cooperation and relations. Wang Yi also held talks with New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and met with Trade Minister Todd McClay on Monday, according to the Xinhua News Agency.