Summary
China and New Zealand have agreed to advance negotiations on a negative list for services trade under their free trade agreement, the Chinese commerce ministry said on June 11. The 34th meeting of the bilateral Joint Committee on Economic and Trade Cooperation was held in Beijing on June 5.
Commentary
The 34th China-New Zealand Joint Committee on Economic and Trade Cooperation meeting resulted in a joint push to negotiate a negative list for services trade under the free trade agreement. This signals deeper bilateral relations following tariff reductions on goods trade. New Zealand's services sector accounts for about 70% of GDP, yet services exports to China remain limited due to market access restrictions in education, tourism and professional services.
A negative list approach would improve policy transparency and create predictable access for small and medium-sized enterprises in legal services, architectural design and environmental consulting. Under RCEP, China already uses negative lists with several members, so New Zealand needs to ensure its strengths — such as online education, aged care and high-value tourism — receive treatment no less favourable than competitors. The negotiations have just begun; businesses can assess how their services align with China's domestic consumption upgrades.
The joint committee mechanism also offers a regular channel to resolve access barriers.
Keywords: Ministry of Commerce, New Zealand, Joint Committee on Economic and Trade, He Yadong, free trade agreement, services trade, negative list, bilateral economic and trade cooperation
Source: Securities Times Online
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