BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Winston Peters, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister of New Zealand, here in Beijing on Wednesday.
Wang called on both sides to adhere to mutual respect, saying all countries, regardless of size or strength, are equal and have the right to choose a development path suitable for themselves.
Faced with the intertwined international situation of change and chaos, it is more important for China and New Zealand to strengthen multilateral coordination, he said.
Wang said China’s high-level opening-up and its supersize market will continue to provide greater opportunities for cooperation with New Zealand.
Wang also expressed hopes that New Zealand will continue to provide a good environment for Chinese students and overseas Chinese.
The Asia-Pacific region is a common home for China and New Zealand, he said, adding that China respects the traditional relations between New Zealand and the Pacific island countries.
Peters said since the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between New Zealand and China, the relationship between the two countries has made great progress.
Peters added that New Zealand has always adhered to the one-China policy and looks forward to further close exchanges at all levels, strengthening cooperation and exchange in economics and trade, agriculture, defense, the Antarctic, and other fields; deepening communication and coordination in regional and international affairs; and is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in multilateral institutions to promote greater development in New Zealand-China relations.
The two sides agreed to maintain high-level exchanges and communicate on China’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement.
