WELLINGTON, New Zealand — China’s Premier Li Qiang arrived in New Zealand on Thursday, beginning a rare visit to its closest partner among Western democracies, where a celebration of trade links is expected to vie with concerns about South Pacific security on Wellington’s agenda.
New Zealand has in recent years taken a less assertive line with Beijing on security matters than its Western partners in the Five Eyes intelligence sharing partnership and has sought a consistent foreign policy approach to Beijing that spans political parties and administrations. But Luxon told reporters Monday that there were areas where, in talks with Li, Wellington would “call out our differences and discuss those openly, too.
Li on Saturday will head to Australia’s capital, where Beijing’s relations in recent years have not been as smooth.