China Foreign Ministry: New Zealand PM Luxon will pay a visit to China from June 17th to 20th.

China Foreign Ministry: New Zealand PM Luxon will pay a visit to China from June 17th to 20th.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is set to visit China from June 17th to 20th, followed by a trip to Europe and the NATO summit in the Netherlands. This visit, his first since taking office in late 2023, aims to strengthen economic ties and discuss geopolitical issues [1].

The visit to China, Luxon's first since becoming prime minister, will focus on growing trade, which reached NZ$38 billion ($23 billion) last year. The government expects to discuss education and tourism links, which have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Luxon will meet with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang to discuss key regional and global issues [2].

Following his visit to China, Luxon will travel to Europe to meet with European Union leaders in Belgium and participate in the NATO summit in the Netherlands. The discussions will center around trade, security, and the shifting geopolitical landscape. New Zealand has been a partner country at the NATO summit since 2022, and Luxon will hold one-on-one talks with several NATO leaders [2].

Luxon's visit comes at a time of growing tension between China and the United States and its Western allies. The visit aims to maintain New Zealand's strategic partnership with China while also strengthening ties with Europe and NATO. Luxon has stated that the relationship with China is "complex but mature" and goes beyond trade [3].

The visit will also provide an opportunity for Luxon to discuss the recovery of international education and tourism, which have been affected by the pandemic. New Zealand is hoping to boost its international student numbers and tourism market, which were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic [2].

References:
[1] https://www.marketscreener.com/news/latest/New-Zealand-PM-Luxon-to-meet-President-Xi-in-China-then-head-to-Europe-50229878/
[2] https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/564016/christopher-luxon-to-meet-xi-jinping-in-visit-to-china
[3] https://www.interest.co.nz/public-policy/133749/luxon-says-china-relationship-complex-mature-and-goes-beyond-trade