New Zealand FM meets China’s Wang Yi in Beijing, raises PLA live-fire drills

The Chinese foreign minister tells Winston Peters that the two countries should trust each other and address differences through dialogue

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New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 3:00pm, 27 Feb 2025Updated: 4:11pm, 27 Feb 2025

China and New Zealand should become partners of mutual trust and address some specific differences through constructive dialogue, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his counterpart Winston Peters at a meeting in Beijing on Wednesday.

“The two sides should maintain a correct understanding of each other … and further develop friendly cooperation and become partners who trust and support each other’s achievements,” Wang said, according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout.

“For some specific differences, the two sides could resolve them properly through constructive dialogue.”

In a statement issued by the New Zealand side, Peters said that the discussions had included China’s recent naval deployment to the Tasman Sea.

Peters told reporters after the meeting that he raised Wellington’s concerns directly with Wang about the short notice and expected that these would be considered.

He said that Beijing did not give adequate notice of the live-fire naval drill beforehand, calling it a failure in the special relationship between China and New Zealand that began in 2008 with the signing of a free-trade agreement.