China New Zealand Photo:VCG

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of New Zealand Winston Peters in Beijing on Wednesday. 

Han said leaders of both sides met on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting last November,MKS sports providing strategic guidance for the continued development of China-New Zealand relations from a new starting point, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Noting that as the China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership enters its second decade, Han said that China attaches great importance to the development of China-New Zealand relations and stands ready to work with New Zealand to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, enhance mutual understanding, and promote the sustained, sound and steady development of the China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership.

Peters, meanwhile, said New Zealand attaches importance to developing relations with China and is willing to strengthen dialogue, enhance understanding, and deepen economic and trade cooperation as China's partner.

During the meeting with Peters on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that the two sides should adhere to the correct understanding of each other, transcend the differences in history, culture, geography, and system, further develop friendly cooperation based on mutual respect, and become partners of mutual trust and mutual achievements. As for some specific differences, the two sides can properly resolve them through constructive dialogue.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the two sides should focus on mutually beneficial cooperation. He added that China's high-level opening-up and super-large market will continue to provide greater cooperation opportunities for News Zealand. 

The two sides should promote the upgrading of economic and trade cooperation, launch the negative list negotiations on service trade as soon as possible, and jointly build new growth engines such as artificial intelligence, green economy and coping with climate change, Wang noted. 

Wang said the Asia-Pacific region is the shared home of China and New Zealand, and China respects New Zealand's traditional relations with Pacific Island countries. Both sides can enhance communication on issues of common interest and concern through consultations on South Pacific affairs.

Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, also met Peters in Beijing on Tuesday. 

Wide topics  

In his opening remarks during meeting with Han, Peters noted New Zealand is keen to be a positive partner with China and said he hoped Prime Minister Christopher Luxon would be able to visit China in the near future, RNZ reported on Wednesday. 

It was very important to ensure the government-to-government relationship was as strong as possible and that there were open channels of communication, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said, per another RNZ report on Wednesday.

"It's not an indication that we agree with everything that China's doing, it is a sign that we want to keep an open dialogue with China and given where the world is at the moment, I think that's more important than ever," Hipkins said. 

Chinese observers said the visit and direct dialogue can enhance mutual understanding, reduce misjudgment and inject positivity into the growth momentum of bilateral ties, at a time when New Zealand's attention to bilateral ties has focused very much on latest drills of People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the Pacific Ocean and a recent cooperation deal signed between China and the Cook Islands.

It is important to see the whole picture of bilateral relations for which trade is a cornerstone and exchanges in other areas are frequent, Yu Lei, a professor from the Department of International Politics and Economics at Shandong University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

China and New Zealand have great potential to deepen and broaden economic and trade cooperation. China's vast market means lots of opportunities for New Zealand businesses, Yu said, noting that he believes Peters' visit carries the business community's call to repair the relationship with China. 

Bigger vision 

Responding to New Zealand's concerns about the contents of the deal between China and the Cook Islands, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on February 17 that the cooperation between China and the Cook Islands does not target any third party, and should not be disrupted by any third party. This is China's consistent position.

Chen Hong, director of the New Zealand Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that China and New Zealand can explore ways to jointly cooperate with Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and China's cooperation with PICs is open and non-exclusive. 

Some in New Zealand should abandon a zero-sum mentality and rectify their view of China, which is a partner, not an adversary, Chen Hong said.  

Meanwhile, the speculations about PLA drills did not subside in recent days amid Peters' visit, even after Prime Minister Christopher Luxon previously said that China acted in accordance with international law. Citing analyst, an article in RNZ said on Sunday that China's activity served as "a serious threat," and New Zealand must boost defense spending to protect the region, and respond with its own "show of force."

Chen Xiaochen, deputy director of the Institute of Area Studies at East China Normal University, pointed to New Zealand's domestic politics, especially some forces heavily influenced by the US and other Western countries. 

However, the US' strategic shift has exerted enormous pressure to its traditional allies, and New Zealand is also adjusting to the new reality, according to Chen Xiaochen.   

He believes Wellington's current task is to adjust China policy, avoid disturbance from certain forces and pay more attention to Asia, as overseas trade is of utmost importance for the country. 

According to a New Zealand government release dated on February 17, Peters is on an Asian trip and set to travel to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, China, Mongolia, and South Korea this week.