China and New Zealand have agreed to strengthen mutual cooperation in agriculture, food security, trade facilitation and other fields. This was reported in a joint statement reported today by the Xinhua agency. The two countries will start negotiations on a list of services prohibited to foreign investors, it said. New Zealand also said it has signed a number of cooperation agreements with China on trade, agriculture, forestry, education, science and innovation.

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Chinese Premier Li Qiang also discussed the Indo-Pacific region, tensions in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, the New Zealand government said in a statement. Hipkins is on a state visit to China to strengthen trade ties with the world's second largest economy. Nearly a quarter of New Zealand's export earnings come from China, making it one of the Western nations most dependent on ties to Beijing. That close relationship, coupled with aggressive Chinese efforts to develop its influence in New Zealand, would be a source of concern for Wellington's allies according to the international press.

Hipkins yesterday spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about "areas of direct bilateral cooperation like trade, education, science and innovation, agriculture and tourism," according to remarks published by the prime minister's office. The premier also spoke of the "the constructive role China can play in addressing shared global challenges such as climate change and the war in Ukraine," according to the statement. While Beijing professes to be a neutral party in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the Chinese government has been widely criticized for its refusal to condemn the Russian invasion and for its ties to Moscow. Likewise, the New Zealand government has always stood out for its soft line towards China.

“We will always advocate for approaches and outcomes that reflect New Zealand's independent foreign policy or interests and values, in a respectful but consistent way,” Hipkins said in Tuesday's statement. For his part, the president of the Asian power replied to Hipkins that bilateral relations "continued to develop in a healthy and stable manner, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples", according to what was published by the state broadcaster CCTV.