Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds talks with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Wellington, New Zealand on June 13, 2024. Photo: Xinhua

 
China-New Zealand economic and trade ties are expected to be further strengthened amid Chinese Premier Li Qiang's ongoing visit to New Zealand, which began on Thursday. This visit will inject new impetus into bilateral relations, with representatives from business groups expressing high expectations and readiness to tap into the greater potential of bilateral economic and trade ties.

This visit coincides with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand. As both countries reflect on their achievements, industry insiders and experts highlight new opportunities for enhanced collaboration in emerging sectors such as technology, renewable energy and the digital economy.

Premier Li arrived in New Zealand on Thursday for an official visit, the first leg of his three-nation trip from June 13 to 20.

During his meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Thursday, Premier Li said that China and New Zealand have always adhered to mutual respect and mutual accommodation, focused on cooperation and promoted common development despite changes in the international situation over the past 10 years, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

During talks with New Zealand's prime minister, Premier Li said that China will include New Zealand in the list of unilateral visa-free countries and hopes that New Zealand will provide more convenience for Chinese citizens to visit New Zealand, Xinhua reported.

The announcement immediately won the applause of business representatives, who called it another very important message that will facilitate business interaction.

Premier Li chose New Zealand as his first stop on this three-nation trip, which demonstrates China's high regard for New Zealand, Chen Hong, director of the New Zealand Studies Centre at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Thursday, noting that China-New Zealand relations have consistently been at the forefront of China's relations with Western developed countries. 

China-New Zealand relations are expected to reach new heights and develop to new levels, Chen said.

The economic and trade relationship between China and New Zealand has been strengthening continuously, serving as a stabilizer and catalyst for the bilateral relationship, and economic and trade ties are also a primary focus of this visit, Chen said.

Business representatives have high expectations for the visit. Premier Li's visit to New Zealand undoubtedly sends a strong positive signal, demonstrating China's emphasis on further deepening economic and trade relations with New Zealand, industry insiders said.

Against the backdrop of numerous challenges facing the global economy, the visit showcases the mutual desire of both parties to promote closer cooperation, which is crucial for boosting bilateral trade and investment flows, Alex Zhang, executive member of the New Zealand China Trade Association, told the Global Times on Thursday.

The complementarity between China and New Zealand in the fields of the economy, trade and investment is significant, according to Zhang.

Wang Jiazheng, chief representative of the Guangdong Economic and Trade Representative Office in New Zealand, told the Global Times on Thursday that he deeply feels that Premier Li's visit holds a special historical significance, noting that "this visit not only affirms the achievements of the past decade in bilateral relations but also presents an important opportunity to promote deeper exchanges and cooperation." 

"We hope that through Premier Li's visit, businesses on both sides can further expand economic and trade relations and explore more cooperation opportunities," Wang said.

Bilateral economic and trade cooperation has been robust for a long time. Products from sectors such as agriculture, aquaculture and dairy farming have been popular among Chinese consumers. Meanwhile, products manufactured in China, including machinery and automobiles -- particularly electric vehicles -- are also in high demand in the New Zealand market, analysts said.

Economic and trade exchanges between China and New Zealand have achieved several "firsts," showcasing the leading position of the China-New Zealand economic and trade relationship. This includes New Zealand being the first developed country to conclude bilateral negotiations with China upon its accession to the World Trade Organization. The Free Trade Agreement between China and New Zealand was also the first FTA signed by China with a developed country.

Given these factors, Chen said that strengthening economic and trade cooperation, against the backdrop of strong economic recoveries in both countries, is highly beneficial for their economic development.

Looking ahead, there is immense potential for cooperation between enterprises from both sides in several key areas, industry insiders said.

Zhang said that renewable energy and environmental technology represent important fields where both parties can collaborate on developing new technologies and promoting green energy solutions. 

There are also opportunities for agricultural cooperation, particularly in terms of enhancing the quality and productivity of agricultural products, where China and New Zealand can share research and development achievements and advanced agricultural technologies, Zhang said. 

The digital economy and e-commerce sector are also hot areas for future cooperation. Zhang said that with the acceleration of the digital transformation, both China and New Zealand can engage in deeper collaboration in areas such as e-commerce platforms, data security and smart technologies.