Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Christopher Luxon has confirmed he will visit China next week, his first time as prime minister, before travelling on to the NATO summit in the Netherlands.
The engagements come at a volatile time in world relations with growing tension between China and the United States and its Western allies.
His three-day trip to Shanghai and Beijing - from 18-20 June - will include high-level meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.
Confirmation of the visit comes a week after a group of prominent former politicians called on the coalition to adopt a less "adversarial" stance towards China.
President Xi Jinping Photo: NOEL CELIS / AFP
In a statement, Luxon said he expected to discuss "key regional and global issues" with China's leaders.
"The challenging global outlook makes it vital that we are sharing perspectives and engaging China on issues that matter to New Zealand."
Luxon said the visit's focus, though, would be on growing trade with China - already New Zealand's largest trading partner.
As well, he hoped to boost education and tourism ties: China is New Zealand's largest source of international students and third-largest tourism market, but numbers are still not back at pre-pandemic levels.
"This visit is about backing the recovery of international education and tourism and putting New Zealand front and centre as a world-class destination for travel, study, and long-term connection."
Luxon will be accompanied on the Defence Force Boeing 757 with a delegation of top business leaders, media, and an award-winning kapa haka group.
And then on to Europe...
As the delegation wings home to New Zealand, Luxon will travel on to Europe.
He will first meet European Union leaders in Belgium "to discuss trade, security, and the shifting geopolitical landscape".
Luxon will then take part in the NATO Summit at the Hague in the Netherlands and hold further one-on-one talks with NATO leaders.
"Prosperity is only possible with security, and our discussions will focus on connections between the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security environments."
New Zealand has attended the NATO summit as a "partner" country every year since 2022, together with Japan, South Korea and Australia.
After that first visit in 2022, the Chinese embassy in Wellington made clear its disapproval, issuing a statement opposing "all kinds of military alliances, bloc politics, or exclusive small groups".
"I look forward to building our positive relationship with our European friends, and to forging stronger links with businesses and investors as part of our wider plan to rebuild New Zealand's economy," Luxon said.
Luxon will depart Europe on 25 June.
