China's Premier Li Qiang Receives Traditional Welcome in New Zealand

China’s Premier Li Qiang was welcomed with a traditional Maori ceremony in Wellington, New Zealand, marking the highest-level Chinese visit in seven years. Premier Li aims to strengthen mutual cooperation and address existing differences with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, focusing on trade, energy, and climate change.

China’s Premier Li Qiang was officially welcomed in a traditional ceremony in New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington on Thursday ahead of a meeting with the country's prime minister, in the highest level Chinese visit in seven years.

Li was greeted on the lawns of the governor-general's residence, Government House, by both the Prime Minister and Governor-General and participated in a traditional Indigenous Maori welcome before heading inside for meetings. "My visit this time aims to renew our traditional friendship, advance mutually beneficial cooperation and promote common development of both countries," Li said in a statement released by the Chinese embassy in Wellington earlier on Thursday.

Once a moderate voice on China, New Zealand's relationship with China has markedly changed since the last time a Chinese premier visited in 2017. New Zealand has toughened its stance this year calling out Beijing for hacking the country's parliament and noting the growing threat China poses to security in the Pacific. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Li's visit was an opportunity for businesses to strike deals, and there were "massive areas of cooperation with China, particularly in the areas of trade, energy, climate change".

Differences would also be discussed, he added. Luxon said he expected some announcements to be made over the next two days. Chinese-New Zealanders gathered at a central city hotel to greet the Premier holding banners supporting China’s relationship with New Zealand and waving Chinese flags and beating drums. Others held banners protesting China's treatment of its citizens.

“I’m just very excited to be here,” said Ling Wang, who had travelled two hours from city Palmerston North to greet the Premier, having made the same trip in 2017 when Premier Li Keqiang visited.