Nanaia Mahuta says she will raise concerns over Ukraine and human rights issues as well as ways the two countries can cooperate
China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner by a considerable margin, accounting for about 30% of New Zealand’s total exports. That economic exposure has created a difficult line for New Zealand to walk – joining its allies in the condemnation of some human rights issues, including the internment and repression of Uyghur minorities in Xinjiang, while avoiding some of the harder-line rhetoric that saw allies like Australia clobbered by punitive trade tariffs.
Speaking at a post-cabinet press conference on Monday, prime minister Chris Hipkins said China was “a very important relationship to New Zealand”, and it was “important that we reestablish those in-person opportunities to engage country-to-country”. Hipkins said he may also visit China later this year, but no trip had been confirmed yet. “I certainly haven’t taken off the table the potential for me to visit China at some point later this year,” he said.
Mahuta’s trip to Beijing will coincide with Chinese president Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia to hold talks with his counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Asked if the timing of Mahuta’s visit was appropriate, given Xi’s support for Putin as the invasion of Ukraine continued, Hipkins said: “Let me again restate our position. We are emphatically opposed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We are also very opposed to any suggestion that other countries might support Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
On human rights issues, he said “Our position has not changed” and “the opportunity to travel in person and to raise issues in person I think is an important one. This will be our first significant in-person ministerial visit since the global pandemic, so it is an opportunity for us to raise a range of issues.”
Mahuta said in a statement that she would “continue to advocate for approaches and outcomes that reflect New Zealand’s interests and values, including on human rights. I also intend to raise New Zealand’s concerns about key regional and global security challenges, including the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine.”“China is integral to New Zealand’s economic recovery but our relationship is far broader – spanning cultural, educational and sporting links.
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