Summary
New Zealand's Ambassador to China, Jonathan Austin, said the international trading system is under pressure and APEC economies need to stand together to uphold the system built through decades of effort, jointly reaffirming their commitment to an open, rules-based and predictable trading order. Speaking to 21st Century Business Herald in Beijing, he noted that the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting is drawing close attention, and that one of APEC's key strengths, as the Asia-Pacific's most influential economic cooperation platform, is bringing the region's major economies back to the same table. Austin said China's three priorities this year – openness, innovation and cooperation – align closely with New Zealand's own thinking and sit at the core of APEC's mission.
With global differences growing, it matters that economies sit down together to find common ground, he said. He stressed that China is New Zealand's largest trading partner and that the two economies are highly complementary. "In one day, we export as much to China as we export to an economy like Sweden in an entire year.
" New Zealand was the first developed country to sign a free trade agreement with China, and the China-NZ FTA has driven a sharp rise in two-way trade. The two countries are now negotiating in services trade, with both sides hoping to reach an agreement before the end of this year.
Commentary
New Zealand's ambassador to China has stressed that APEC must reaffirm open cooperation, and signalled that talks to upgrade China-NZ services trade could conclude before year-end. For New Zealand's small and medium-sized business owners, services are a pillar of the economy, accounting for about 70 percent of GDP and contributing more than 80 percent of employment. China is New Zealand's largest trading partner and two-way services trade has grown steadily over the years, but New Zealand's services exports to China are concentrated in tourism, education and professional services – a far smaller share than dairy and meat in goods trade.
Should a deal land by year-end, it could open windows in cross-border data flows, mutual recognition of professional qualifications and market access for digital services, giving small law firms, engineering consultancies, IT and creative businesses clearer rules for entering the Chinese market. On the other hand, RCEP is already in force, yet China remains relatively cautious in opening some services sectors, and New Zealand firms need to watch the reservations in specific commitment schedules and negative-list management. A revival of multilateral consensus at APEC would also help smaller economies reduce their passive exposure to global trade fragmentation and the unpredictability of non-tariff barriers.
Whether the talks translate into workable market opportunities depends on domestic regulatory reform and on-the-ground business support, not on diplomatic statements alone.
Keywords: New Zealand Ambassador to China, APEC, open cooperation, international trading system, China-New Zealand trade relations, free trade agreement, services trade negotiations, Jonathan Austin, Asia-Pacific economy, trade rules
Summary in Chinese | 摘要
新西兰驻华大使乔文博(Jonathan Austin)在北京接受21世纪经济报道专访时表示，当前国际贸易体系正面临压力，APEC各经济体需要团结起来，维护历经数十年努力建立起来的国际贸易体系，并共同重申对开放、以规则为基础且可预期的贸易体系的承诺。他指出，2026年APEC领导人非正式会议备受关注，作为亚太地区最具影响力的经济合作平台之一，APEC的重要价值之一就是把亚太主要经济体重新汇聚起来。乔文博称，中国今年提出的“开放、创新、合作”三大优先事项与新西兰理念高度契合，也是APEC自身使命的核心；在全球分歧增多的背景下，让各经济体坐到一起寻找共识非常重要。
他强调，中国是新西兰最大的贸易伙伴，两国经济互补性强，“我们一天对华出口的规模，相当于我们对瑞典这样一个经济体一整年的出口规模。”新西兰是第一个与中国签署自由贸易协定的发达国家，中新自贸协定推动双边贸易大幅增长，当前两国正推进服务贸易领域谈判，希望在今年年底前达成协议。
Commentary in Chinese | 评论
新西兰驻华大使强调APEC需重申开放合作，并透露中新服务贸易升级谈判有望年底前达成协议。对新西兰中小企业主而言，服务贸易是新西兰经济的支柱，占GDP约70%，并贡献了八成以上就业。中国作为新西兰最大贸易伙伴，双边服务贸易长期保持增长，但新西兰对华服务出口主要集中在旅游、教育和专业服务领域，占比远低于货物贸易中的乳制品、肉类。
若年底协议落地，可望在跨境数据流动、专业资质互认、数字服务市场准入等方面打开窗口，为中小型律所、工程咨询、IT及创意企业提供进入中国市场的更清晰规则。另一方面，RCEP已生效实施，但中国在部分服务部门的开放仍较谨慎，新西兰企业需留意具体承诺清单中的保留条款和负面清单管理。APEC层面的多边共识若回升，也有助于降低中小经济体在全球贸易碎片化中的被动风险，减少非关税壁垒的不可预测性。
谈判结果能否转化为可执行的市场机会，取决于国内监管改革和商务落地支持，而非仅靠外交表态。
关键词: 新西兰驻华大使, APEC, 开放合作, 国际贸易体系, 中新经贸关系, 自由贸易协定, 服务贸易谈判, 乔文博, 亚太经济, 贸易规则
Source: Tencent Web
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