Zhao Leji to make official visits to New Zealand, Australia

Summary

At the separate invitations of New Zealand Parliament Speaker Gerry Brownlee, Australian Senate President Sue Lines and Australian House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick, National People's Congress Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji will make official goodwill visits to New Zealand and Australia from 19 to 25 November,

with the itinerary approved by President Xi Jinping, Xinhua reported from Beijing on 16 November. The New Zealand leg, from 19 to 21 November,

includes a visit to the New Zealand Parliament for high-level talks on bilateral investment, green energy and agricultural co-operation, a tour of the Port of Auckland to examine prospects for shipping logistics and fisheries co-operation,

and meetings with senior New Zealand government figures and the signing of several co-operation agreements aimed at further expanding two-way trade. The Australia leg, from 22 to 25 November, includes a joint meeting with Senate President Lines and House Speaker Dick to deepen dialogue on the rule of law and human rights,

visits to major cities including Sydney and Melbourne to examine science, technology and innovation and education exchange programmes, and talks with Australian business leaders to advance co-operation in frontier fields such as the digital economy and artificial intelligence.

Commentary

Zhao Leji's visit to New Zealand comes as two-way trade continues to grow following the upgrade of the China-New Zealand free trade agreement. About 25 percent of New Zealand's exports depend on the Chinese market, led by dairy products, timber and meat. The high-level talks focus on bilateral investment, green energy and agricultural co-operation, with several agreements planned for signing that could open new market access for New Zealand small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Port of Auckland visit is particularly noteworthy: progress on shipping logistics and fisheries co-operation would directly affect the supply chain efficiency and costs of New Zealand exporters. For SME owners, the details of the agreements warrant close attention, especially changes to tariffs and non-tariff barriers in agriculture. Green energy co-operation could open the Chinese market to local clean-technology firms, though they should note competitive pressure from Chinese state-owned enterprises.

The digital economy and artificial intelligence agenda in Australia also signals that regional trade rules may move towards greater alignment of technical standards, and New Zealand businesses need to build compliance capabilities in advance. The trip is more than a political gesture; it could reshape the South Pacific's trade landscape, and New Zealand SMEs should actively position themselves to capture policy benefits rather than wait passively.

Keywords: Zhao Leji, New Zealand, Australia, official goodwill visit, NPC Standing Committee Chairman, high-level parliamentary dialogue, bilateral co-operation, Port of Auckland, digital economy and artificial intelligence

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