New Zealand foreign minister visits Chinese foreign minister

New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta visits Foreign Minister Qin Gang of Beijing A New Zealand minister visited China this week for the first time in four years, officials said Monday.

But China’s President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit Moscow this week to give Russian President Vladimir Putin a diplomatic boost after the International Criminal Court announced it wanted to try him for alleged war crimes. , the visit took place at an awkward time.

prime minister of new zealand Chris Hipkins He said New Zealand’s position on Russia would not change.

“We are categorically opposed to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” Hipkins said. He also strongly opposes any suggestion that other countries might support Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.”

But Hipkins said it was time to re-establish direct ties with China after COVID-19 travel restrictions were eased.

“China is a very important relationship for New Zealand, and travel between New Zealand and China has been clearly restricted at the diplomatic level over the past few years. It is important.”

Mahuta said the relationship between New Zealand and China is complex and far-reaching, noting that the two countries recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

“China is critical to New Zealand’s economic recovery, but our relationship is much broader and extends to cultural, educational and sporting links,” Mahuta said in a statement.

China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner, and New Zealand exporters rely on China to purchase dairy and other agricultural products.

Mahuta said she planned to raise New Zealand’s concerns about human rights and security while in China, including Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. We were also going to discuss issues of cooperation.

During her two days in Beijing, she said, she plans to meet with business leaders and hold a breakfast roundtable with female leaders.

Mahuta is scheduled to leave for China on Tuesday.