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China-Australia relations: could New Zealand show the way to better ties?
- Chinese foreign minister calls for signing of upgrade to free-trade agreement in call with New Zealand counterpart
- The two countries are an example for others to follow, he says
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China is looking to New Zealand to strengthen its foothold in the Pacific, touting the ties between the two countries as an example for others as its relations with Australia plunge to their worst in decades.
In a phone call with his New Zealand counterpart Nanaia Mahuta on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the two countries to upgrade the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and speed up plans for projects under the Belt and Road Initiative.
“China is happy to see New Zealand play a more important role in international and regional affairs, and is willing to carry out mutually beneficial cooperation with New Zealand on climate change and Pacific affairs,” Wang said.
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He said China hoped New Zealand would provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises in the country.
He also said relations between the two countries were an example of mutually beneficial cooperation between nations with different social systems, stages of development and economic scale.
Alexander Gillespie, a senior lecturer in international law at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, said New Zealand was the only “Five Eyes” country – an intelligence alliance that also includes Australia, Canada, Britain and the United States – without a particular concern with China.
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