Chinese Premier’s Oceania visit to deepen cooperation on governance, development
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang kicked off a week- long trip to Australia and New Zealand on Wednesday. In the current regional and international situation, the official visit to the two major Oceania countries is of immense significance.
For a long time, it has been routine for the government heads of China, Australia and New Zealand to hold strategic talks, but Li’s present journey takes place at a time when Australia and New Zealand are engaged in a variety of adjustments.
Today’s world is undergoing a spectrum of profound changes caused by sluggish economic growth and ensuing uncertainties. Across the West, Brexit has further shaken the European Union and US President Donald Trump rolled out an “America First” policy, casting detrimental influence upon Australia and New Zealand.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull won the election but by a disastrously narrow margin on July 10. To come out on top, he has to carefully tackle the relationship between his coalition and opposition parties as well as internal division within the coalition.
New Zealand is also in need of consolidating new Prime Minister Bill English’s leadership after his predecessor John Key’s surprise resignation after eight years in office.
Furthermore, both countries need to adjust their economic structures by developing the manufacturing sector, promoting innovation- driven economy and upgrading certain industries.
China is also on a hectic schedule of making adjustments, including innovation for the reform and opening- up policy and industrial upgrading.
Under such circumstances, China, an important member in the Asia- Pacific region which upholds principles of cooperation, freedom and opening up, needs effective coordination and communication with Australia and New Zealand. Li’s visit is expected to facilitate the three nations’ cooperation in global governance and addressing common challenges to create a favorable environment for regional development.
Since Beijing and Auckland signed a free trade agreement ( FTA) in 2008, the two has witnessed an annual increase of 15 percent in trade volume, rapidly advancing the construction and development of their bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.
In 2016, the Joint Assessment Working Group declared the official start of negotiations on the upgrade of the FTA. The first round of negotiations is slated for the first half of 2017. This issue will likely be high on the agenda of Li’s visit.
Beijing and Canberra started to implement their FTA at the end of 2015 and now, it benefits both peoples. And a free trade zone will be completed in 2019. The One Belt and One Road initiative, envisioned by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, has become a critical part of the extensive development of China’s opening- up policy. Australia and New Zealand are key countries along the 21stcentury Maritime Silk Road. Canberra sets out the Developing North Australia blueprint and the 15- year Australian Infrastructure Plan in 2015 and 2016 respectively. China’s Belt and Road initiative and Australia’s national development strategies echo each other; and China’s innovationdriven development strategy and the National Innovation and Science Agenda of Australia are expected to open up more areas of cooperation for the two sides. Discussion on how to push ahead the bilateral strategic coordination and cooperation with common consensus among high- level officials will likely become a highlight of Li’s visit. China and Australia have huge cooperation potential in infrastructure, applied technology, agriculture, animal husbandry, energy and resources, education and tourism.
The New Zealand government formulated in 2015 National Infrastructure Plan 2015: The Thirty Year New Zealand Infrastructure Plan with a vision that “By 2045 New Zealand’s infrastructure will be resilient and coordinated, and contribute to a strong economy and high living standards.” Its similar goals with the Belt and Road initiative will become a driving force for the further development of China- New Zealand strategic partnership.
Li’s trip also comes as the first one after the change in New Zealand’s leadership and is expected to help ensure the continuity of the relations between the two countries and upgrade their future cooperation.