China New Zealand Photo:VCG

New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters concluded a three-day visit to China on Thursday. This MK sportswas his first trip to China since taking office in 2023. Prior to this visit, there were some concerns in New Zealand stemming from a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement signed between China and the Cook Islands and Chinese warships' recent exercises including live-fire drills in the Pacific Ocean. As a result, Peters' visit is viewed as a crucial opportunity for Beijing and Wellington to engage in strategic communication and address their divergences.

Additionally, observers are watching when Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will visit China. Regular high-level interactions are essential for China-New Zealand relations, but Luxon has yet to make a trip to China since taking office. There is hope that Peters' visit can facilitate progress on this front.

In general, Peters' visit presents a unique occasion to reflect on China-New Zealand relations.

Wellington regards its relationship with China as "one of the most complex and significant." The phrase "most complex" is a significant assessment that New Zealand makes regarding its relations with China. With new changes in the global and regional situation, and some deviations in New Zealand's perception of China and policies toward China, the differences between the two countries on some issues have intensified, and China-New Zealand relations have also been affected. This is why New Zealand considers its relationship with China to be the "most complex."

However, despite the "complexity," the phrase "most significant" highlights China's crucial role in New Zealand's diplomatic, trade and strategic considerations, which can be understood on multiple levels. China and New Zealand are located in the Asia-Pacific region and participate in regional mechanisms such as APEC and the East Asia Summit. This provides New Zealand with opportunities for regular engagement with China on regional issues.

The geographical connection between China and New Zealand can readily be projected onto diplomacy and trade. Constructive engagement with China is one of the ways New Zealand can enhance its international standing. For Wellington, effectively managing its relationship with China is crucial for its overall national interests and serves as a key indicator of the government's diplomatic capabilities. Moreover, trade is a vital driving force behind bilateral relations, and in recent years China has become New Zealand's largest trading partner and export destination.

The high degree of complementarity in economic structure and the practical needs of bilateral and multilateral diplomatic interactions have contributed to deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand. This is also an essential dimension for understanding the fundamental dynamics of bilateral relations.

On Wednesday, during the meetings with Peters in Beijing, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said that China attaches great importance to the development of China-New Zealand relations and stands ready to work with New Zealand. Meanwhile, Peters said that New Zealand is willing to strengthen dialogue, enhance understanding, and deepen economic and trade cooperation as an active partner of China.

In the talks with Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese Foreign Minister, the New Zealand politician called China "an important cooperative partner of New Zealand," while vowing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in fields such as the economy, trade, agriculture and defense, as well as in Antarctica, and deepening communication and coordination on regional and international affairs. Wang said that China is ready to work with New Zealand to follow through on the important common understandings reached between the leaders of the two countries, strengthen strategic communication, carry forward the spirit of "striving to be the first," and keep moving the China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership forward on the right track. All these remarks prove the great willingness of both countries to work together and the huge potential of bilateral cooperation.

As Peters' visit provides us an opportunity to take a look at the current status of bilateral relations, we are closely looking at how these following questions are evolving: With the new US administration and the more turbulent international context, how will New Zealand continue to uphold its independent foreign policy? In light of the differences and disagreements, can New Zealand maintain stable relations with China in a "predictable and consistent manner"?

Hopefully, Wellington can give the right answer for the stability of China-New Zealand ties.

The author is an assistant research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn