Li Qiang, Luxon Talk Trade and New Energy in Phone Call

Summary

Premier Li Qiang took a phone call from New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on the afternoon of 12 October 2026. Li said the China-New Zealand relationship continues to advance steadily, with fresh progress in cooperation across various fields. Amid a complex and changing international landscape, with unilateralism and protectionism continuing to batter the world economy, the international community's call to uphold the multilateral system and strengthen open cooperation is growing stronger.

China and New Zealand are both supporters and practitioners of multilateralism and free trade, and should carry out more communication and coordination. Next year the two countries will mark the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations. China is ready to work with New Zealand to carry forward traditional friendship, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and push the China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership to new depths.

Li said China is willing to remain a partner of mutual respect and mutual benefit with New Zealand, continue to expand and upgrade bilateral trade in goods, actively tap the potential of trade in services, and expand cooperation in new energy vehicles, photovoltaics and wind power. He expressed the hope that both sides will accelerate negotiations on the negative list for trade in services under the China-New Zealand free trade agreement and achieve substantive results as early as possible. Both sides should provide more facilitation for expanding people-to-people exchanges and deepen exchanges and cooperation in culture, tourism, education, youth and local areas.

China and New Zealand are both members of the Asia-Pacific family, and China is ready to strengthen cooperation with New Zealand in APEC and actively advance the building of an Asia-Pacific community. Luxon said New Zealand-China relations are developing steadily, cooperation in various fields is progressing solidly and benefiting the peoples of both countries. New Zealand attaches great importance to its relationship with China, firmly upholds the one-China policy, and is willing to take next year's celebration of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to maintain close high-level exchanges with China, deepen mutual understanding and trust, and deepen practical cooperation in trade, tourism, new energy and other areas to advance the comprehensive strategic partnership.

New Zealand supports China in hosting the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting. The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.

Commentary

The phone call between the Chinese and New Zealand premiers sends a clear signal of deeper economic and trade cooperation, with a particular focus on negotiations on the negative list for trade in services and on new energy. New Zealand small and medium-sized enterprises should watch for market access opportunities in professional services, education and tourism that greater openness in services trade could bring, while cooperation in new energy vehicles, photovoltaics and wind power may create room for subcontracting and joint research and development for local technology suppliers and engineering service providers. Against the backdrop of global supply chain restructuring, New Zealand, as a member of both the CPTPP and RCEP, can further reduce compliance costs through an upgraded free trade agreement with China, but it needs to guard against potential disruption to cross-border payments and logistics from geopolitical volatility.

Traditional export sectors such as dairy and timber still rely on Chinese demand, while new energy cooperation could help drive the local energy transition and lower electricity costs for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Keywords: Li Qiang, Luxon, China-New Zealand relations, 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations, comprehensive strategic partnership, negative list negotiations on trade in services under the FTA, APEC, one-China policy

Summary in Chinese | 摘要

2026年10月12日下午，国务院总理李强应约同新西兰总理拉克森通电话。李强表示，当前中新关系持续稳健前行，各领域合作不断取得新进展；同时国际形势复杂变化，单边主义、保护主义持续冲击世界经济，国际社会对维护多边体系、加强开放合作的呼声更加强烈。中国和新西兰同为多边主义和自由贸易的支持者、践行者，应当开展更多沟通协作。

明年中新将迎来建交55周年，中方愿同新方一道赓续传统友谊，拓展互利合作，推动中新全面战略伙伴关系不断走深走实。李强指出，中方愿同新方始终做相互尊重、互利共赢的伙伴，继续推动双边货物贸易扩容提质，积极发掘服务贸易潜力，拓展新能源汽车、光伏、风电等领域合作；希望双方加快推进中新自贸协定服务贸易负面清单谈判，尽早收获实质性成果；双方要为扩大人员往来提供更多便利，深化文化、旅游、教育、青年、地方等领域交流合作。中新同为亚太大家庭成员，中方愿同新方加强在亚太经合组织合作，积极推进亚太共同体建设。

拉克森表示，当前新中关系稳步发展，各领域合作扎实推进，惠及两国人民；新方高度重视对华关系，坚定奉行一个中国政策，愿以明年庆祝建交55周年为契机，同中方密切高层交往，加深相互理解和信任，深化贸易、旅游、新能源等领域务实合作，推动两国全面战略伙伴关系发展；新方支持中方主办亚太经合组织领导人非正式会议。双方还就共同关心的国际和地区问题交换了意见。

Commentary in Chinese | 评论

中新两国总理通话释放出深化经贸合作的明确信号，尤其聚焦服务贸易负面清单谈判与新能源领域。新西兰中小企业应关注服务贸易开放带来的专业服务、教育、旅游等市场准入机会，同时新能源汽车、光伏、风电合作或为本地技术供应商和工程服务商创造分包与联合研发空间。当前全球供应链重构背景下，新西兰作为CPTPP和RCEP成员，可借助与中国自贸协定升级进一步降低合规成本，但需警惕地缘政治波动对跨境支付和物流的潜在干扰。

乳制品、木材等传统出口行业仍依赖中国需求，而新能源合作或推动本地能源转型，降低中小企业用电成本。

关键词: 李强, 拉克森, 中新关系, 建交55周年, 全面战略伙伴关系, 自贸协定服务贸易负面清单谈判, 亚太经合组织, 一个中国政策

Source: Chinese Embassy in New Zealand – New Zealand-China Relations