Jacinda Ardern makes progress in China, but does Huawei have cause for optimism?

Prime minister says she explained New Zealand’s approach to Chinese tech firm and raised concerns over detention camps in Xinjiang during Beijing trip

Huawei NZ executive tells local media the firm is still optimistic it can take part in 5G upgrade and lays out measures to ease security concerns

Reading Time:3 minutes

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern meets Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing on Monday. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:10pm, 2 Apr 2019Updated: 11:23pm, 2 Apr 2019

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern returned home from Beijing on Tuesday having made progress on trade, climate change and a way forward on Huawei.

During the short visit, agreements were signed on scientific cooperation, finance, agriculture and taxation on Monday, and the two sides also agreed to push forward an update of their free-trade deal.

As well as meeting China’s leaders, Ardern opened New Zealand’s new NZ$50 million (US$34 million) Chinese embassy to manage relations with the country’s largest trading partner, calling it “one of our most significant diplomatic spaces”.

“It demonstrates the importance of the relationship and the strength of the relationship going forward,” she told New Zealand media.

Ardern also used the trip to confront challenges in bilateral ties, explaining New Zealand’s approach to Chinese telecoms firm Huawei and raising concerns over China’s mass detention of Uygurs in Xinjiang.

Jacinda Ardern poses for a photo with Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on Monday. Photo: Xinhua

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x