China’s Wang Yi begins diplomatic blitz with New Zealand, Australia visits
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a rare visit to New Zealand on Monday, stressing the need to work with “friends” in the face of the “tumultuous international situation”.
The trip marks the start of a diplomatic blitz through New Zealand and Australia, Mr. Wang’s first visit to either country since 2017.
The whistlestop tour is expected to focus heavily on trade as Beijing looks to lessen the pain from slowing economic home.
Speaking in the capital Wellington, Mr. Wang said the trip was also a chance to shore up diplomatic ties growth at that have come under strain as Beijing adopts an increasingly aggressive stance on issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea. “In the face of the current tumultuous international situation, we are willing to strengthen strategic communication with our friends in New Zealand on international and regional issues of common concern,” Mr. Wang said.
“And we will work together to maintain peace and stability in the region and the world,” he added before his closeddoor meeting with New Zealand
Foreign
Peters.
New Zealand is part of the Five Eyes intelligencesharing alliance alongside the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. But Wellington has been criticised for taking a softer line on China — putting its trading relationship ahead of its allies’ security concerns.
In a statement, Mr. Peters said the talks touched on “trade, business, and peopletopeople links”, but also acknowledged “areas of difference such as human rights”.
Minister Winston