On March 18, 2024 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with New Zealand's Minister for Trade Todd McClay in Wellington.

Wang Yi said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and New Zealand have always adhered to the principles of mutual respect and inclusiveness, focusing on cooperation and benefiting the people, and constantly set new records for cooperation, making China-New Zealand relations maintain a leading position among China's relations with developed countries. This is the important and unique value of China-New Zealand relations. China is ready to work with New Zealand to actively implement the upgraded China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and launch negotiations on the negative list of trade in services at an early date, so as to take bilateral cooperation to a new level. Opening up brings progress while isolation results in backwardness. The door of China will open wider to the world, and China's door to New Zealand will always be open. The two sides should jointly safeguard free trade, oppose unilateralism and protectionism in the name of "de-risking", build an open world economy and provide a good business environment for enterprises of the two countries.

Todd McClay said, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and China, bilateral cooperation has yielded fruitful results and brought important benefits to the two peoples. The New Zealand side is willing to work with the Chinese side to further expand cooperation in economy, trade and other fields and facilitate personnel exchanges. In the face of increasing trade barriers and uncertainties in the world, the upgraded China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement is of great exemplary significance. The two sides should work together to uphold the principle of free trade and resist all kinds of protectionism and unilateral practice.