Summary
From 25 to 30 June 2023, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins paid an official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang. During the visit, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Hipkins, Premier Li Qiang held talks with him, and Chairman Zhao Leji also met with him. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of the 1972 Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the 2014 Joint Statement on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and agreed to strengthen high-level exchanges, deepen cooperation, and manage differences.
New Zealand reaffirmed its commitment to the One-China policy. Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in areas such as food safety, agriculture, customs and trade facilitation, science and technology innovation, and law enforcement. They welcomed the entry into force of the Protocol to Upgrade the New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement in 2022, and will launch negotiations on a negative list for trade in services within 2023, expand cooperation in e-commerce, services trade, and green economy, and promote the establishment of a dialogue mechanism on new energy vehicles.
They agreed to maintain communication on Belt and Road cooperation. Both sides welcomed the resumption of people-to-people exchanges after the border reopening, and strengthened exchanges in culture, sports, education, aviation, and tourism. They reaffirmed their commitment to the WTO-centred multilateral trading system, promoted WTO reform, supported cooperation under APEC and RCEP, and New Zealand welcomed China's application to join the CPTPP and DEPA.
They emphasised addressing climate change and implementing the biodiversity framework. The two sides signed seven cooperation documents on agricultural cooperation, kiwifruit exports to China, forestry cooperation, food safety, science and technology cooperation, intellectual property, and mutual recognition of academic qualifications.
Commentary
This joint statement presents multiple opportunities for New Zealand small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners. First, the entry into force of the Protocol to Upgrade the NZ-China FTA and the launch of negotiations on a negative list for services trade will lower barriers in services trade, providing broader market access for businesses in education, tourism, logistics, and other service sectors. Second, cooperation in e-commerce, green economy, and new energy vehicles may create new supply chain demands—for example, New Zealand's green technology, sustainable packaging, or electric vehicle components could enter the Chinese market.
Meanwhile, the signing of the agricultural cooperation plan and the clarification of phytosanitary requirements for kiwifruit exports directly benefit fruit growers and exporters, but businesses should note China's strict food safety and quarantine standards and upgrade compliance systems in advance. On the other hand, the statement's emphasis on the multilateral trading system and supply chain resilience suggests a more stable trade environment for New Zealand firms, but over-reliance on a single market still carries risks amid global supply chain restructuring. SMEs can leverage tariff preferences under RCEP and CPTPP to optimise regional distribution.
Additionally, the resumption of people-to-people exchanges will boost tourism and education exports, though businesses need to adapt to changes in Chinese consumer spending habits and competition from online education. Overall, the statement sends positive signals, but firms should align with their industry characteristics and proactively engage in specific cooperation areas, such as participating in joint R&D projects under the five-year roadmap for science and technology cooperation, or strengthening brand protection through intellectual property cooperation.
Keywords: New Zealand, China, comprehensive strategic partnership, joint statement, FTA upgrade, services trade, agricultural cooperation, kiwifruit, science and technology cooperation, Belt and Road
Summary in Chinese | 摘要
2023年6月25日至30日，新西兰总理克里斯·希普金斯应中国国务院总理李强邀请，对中国进行正式访问。访问期间，习近平主席会见希普金斯，李强总理同其举行会谈，赵乐际委员长也会见。双方重申1972年建交公报和2014年全面战略伙伴关系联合声明的重要性，同意加强高层交往，深化合作，管控分歧。
新西兰重申坚持一个中国政策。双方同意在食品安全、农业、海关及贸易便利化、科技创新和执法等领域加强合作。欢迎中新自贸协定升级议定书2022年生效，将在2023年内启动服务贸易负面清单谈判，拓展电子商务、服务贸易、绿色经济合作，推动建立新能源汽车对话机制。
同意就“一带一路”合作保持沟通。双方欢迎边境重开后人员往来恢复，加强文化、体育、教育、航空、旅游等领域交流。重申维护以WTO为核心的多边贸易体制，推动WTO改革，支持亚太经合组织和RCEP框架下的合作，新方欢迎中方申请加入CPTPP和DEPA。
强调应对气候变化和落实生物多样性框架。双方签署了农业合作、猕猴桃输华、林业合作、食品安全、科技合作、知识产权、学历互认等七项合作文件。
Commentary in Chinese | 评论
这份联合声明对新西兰中小企业主意味着多重机遇。首先，中新自贸协定升级议定书的生效及服务贸易负面清单谈判的启动，将降低服务贸易壁垒，为从事教育、旅游、物流等服务业的企业提供更广阔的市场准入。其次，双方在电子商务、绿色经济和新能源汽车领域的合作，可能催生新的供应链需求，例如新西兰的绿色技术、可持续包装或电动汽车零部件可望进入中国市场。
同时，农业合作规划的签署和猕猴桃输华检疫要求的明确，直接利好水果种植和出口企业，但需注意中国对食品安全和检疫标准的严格性，企业应提前升级合规体系。另一方面，声明强调多边贸易体制和供应链韧性，意味着新西兰企业可能面临更稳定的贸易环境，但全球供应链重构背景下，过度依赖单一市场仍有风险。中小企业可关注RCEP和CPTPP框架下的关税优惠，优化区域布局。
此外，人员往来恢复将促进旅游和教育出口，但需应对中国游客消费习惯变化和在线教育竞争。总体而言，声明释放了积极信号，但企业需结合自身行业特点，主动对接具体合作领域，如参与科技合作五年路线图中的联合研发项目，或利用知识产权合作加强品牌保护。
关键词: 新西兰, 中国, 全面战略伙伴关系, 联合声明, 自贸协定升级, 服务贸易, 农业合作, 猕猴桃, 科技合作, 一带一路
Source: National Intellectual Property Strategy Website
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