China–New Zealand relations
Emigration from China was driven by overpopulation, land shortages, famine, drought, banditry, and peasant revolts, which triggered a wave of Chinese migration to Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada.Other discriminatory policies included an English literacy test, restrictive immigration measures, denial of old age pensions, and being barred from permanent residency and citizenship (from 1908 to 1952).In the postwar years, many Chinese migrants, including women and children, settled in New Zealand since the Communist victory in 1949 made it difficult for many to return home.In 1971, New Zealand and other US allies unsuccessfully opposed United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 to recognise the PRC as the "only legitimate representative of China to the UN.The following day an official afternoon tea reception was attended by the Prime Minister Jack Marshall, half the cabinet, Labour leader Norman Kirk, Wellington Mayor Frank Kitts, and Bryce Harland who was soon to be our first Ambassador to China.According to former New Zealand diplomat Gerald Hensley, Prime Minister Norman Kirk initially hesitated recognising the PRC until his second term but changed his mind because of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[30] Since the end of the Cold War, bilateral relations between New Zealand and China have grown particularly in the areas of trade, education, tourism, climate change, and public sector co-operation.[12] One notable New Zealand expatriate in China was Rewi Alley, a New Zealand-born writer, educator, social reformer, potter, and member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).In return, New Zealand agreed to support Chinese language training and cultural exchange programmes provided by local Confucius Institutes.On 19 November 2004 Helen Clark and President of the People's Republic of China, Hu Jintao announced the commencement of negotiations towards an FTA at the APEC Leaders meeting in Santiago, Chile.[51] Winston Peters was also a vocal opponent of the agreement, but agreed not to criticise it while acting as Minister of Foreign Affairs overseas (a position he held from 2005 to 2008).[55] On 1 January 2024, China lifted all tariffs on New Zealand dairy imports including milk powder as part of the NZ-China free trade agreement.[5] In 2019 Chinese Vice Consul General Xiao Yewen intervened at Auckland University of Technology in relation to an event marking the 30th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.The crackdown by the Chinese Government on the Tiananmen Square demonstrations of June 1989 was strongly condemned in New Zealand and official ministerial contact was suspended for more than a year.[99][100] In response to the Government's announcement, Huawei NZ's deputy managing director Andrew Bowater emphasized the company's commitment to helping customers deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand."[104] In late April 2021, the libertarian ACT party sponsored motion asking the New Zealand Parliament to debate and vote on whether China's alleged oppression of the Uyghur minority constituted a genocide.The Chinese Ambassador Wu Xi also issued a statement warning against foreign interference and dismissed talk of forced labour and genocide as "lies" fabricated by anti-China elements.[108] On 4 May, the ruling Labour Party successfully revised the motion to discuss concerns about human rights abuses in Xinjiang while omitting the term genocide.Hua also defended the response of the Chinese Consulate-General in Brisbane following similar clashes between pro-Hong Kong and pro-China students at the University of Queensland.[119][120] In early May 2020, Foreign Minister Winston Peters expressed support for Taiwan rejoining the World Health Organization during a press conference.[122][123] The New Zealand Government has since backed Taiwan's bid to join the WHO, placing NZ alongside Australia and the United States who have taken similar positions during the COVID-19 pandemic.[124] On 12 May, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian responded by warning that Peters' remarks violated the One China Policy and would hurt bilateral relations during the two countries.He claimed that Beijing had made proper arrangements for Taiwan's participation in global health events and accused Taipei of exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to seek Taiwanese independence.[127][128] On 28 July, New Zealand suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, with Foreign Minister Peters stating that the new law "eroded rule-of-law principles" and undermined the "one country, two systems" rule.[132][133] On 6 October, New Zealand joined a group of 39 mainly US–aligned countries alongside Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canada, Haiti Honduras, and Japan in issuing a joint statement at the United Nations to denounce China for its treatment of ethnic minorities and for curtailing freedoms in Hong Kong.[140][141] In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying expressed surprise at New Zealand's concern and defended the accuracy of the picture and posts."[143][144] In response to Mahuta's remarks, Prime Minister Ardern claimed that New Zealand was still committed to the Five Eyes alliance but would not use the group as its first point for messaging on non-security matters.[145][146] On 20 July 2021, the Minister in charge of the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) Andrew Little confirmed that the spy agency had established links between Chinese state-sponsored actors known as "Advanced Persistent Threat 40" (APT40) and malicious cyber activity in New Zealand.Australian Defence Minister Marles confirmed that Australia would send officials to brief their New Zealand counterparts on Pillar 2, which would focus on the exchange of non-nuclear military technology.[160] In response to the joint Australian-NZ meeting, the Chinese Embassy in Wellington issued a statement condemning alleged interference in China's domestic affairs and describing AUKUS as inimical to international nuclear non-proliferation efforts.
New ZealandAmbassadorRepublic of ChinaChinese Civil WarTaiwanfree trade agreementsecurity tiesUnited Statesgold rushesGuangdongOtago gold rushSoutheast AsiaAustraliaCanadapoll taxMāoriQing dynastyXinhai RevolutionTianjinShanghaiUnited Nations Relief and Rehabilitation AdministrationRewi AlleySecond World WarUnited NationsNational PartyLabour PartyKorean WarUnited Nations forcesNorth KoreaNew Zealand Presbyterian ChurchChinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign CountriesNew Zealand China Friendship SocietyCommunist Party of New ZealandWarren FreerWalter NashSidney HollandBrian BrakeNikita KhrushchevChairmanMao Zedong10th anniversary of the People's Republic of ChinaPrime Minister of New ZealandKeith HolyoakeROC PresidentChiang Kai-shekHong KongUnited Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758Jack MarshallNorman KirkFrank KittsBryce HarlandKen GrayPauatahanuiThird Labour GovernmentGerald HensleyMinistry of Foreign AffairsGough WhitlamPermanent Representative to the UNJoe WaldingZhou EnlaiBai XiangguoNew Zealand Ambassador1975 general electionThird National GovernmentRobert MuldoonPremierHua GuofengChina's accessionWorld Trade OrganizationagreementChinese New ZealanderHastingsGuilinChinese Communist PartyBeijingPita SharplesChinese PremierLi QiangConfucius InstitutesBelt and Road InitiativeTiananmen Square massacreChina-New Zealand Free Trade AgreementHMNZS Te KahaVictoria HarbourWen JiabaoHelen ClarkCloser Economic Relationsdeveloped countryPresident of the People's Republic of ChinaHu JintaoSantiagoGreen PartyMāori PartyWinston PetersMinister of Foreign AffairsChinese languageTodd McClayThe Hollywood ReporterChina Film GroupHuhu StudiosChina Film AnimationMosleyAuckland University of TechnologyGuangzhouChengduJohn KeyWellingtonAucklandChristchurchSpecial Administrative Regionbilateral economic partnership agreementConsulate-GeneralSydneyNew Zealand–Taiwan relationsEconomic and Cultural officesCommerce and Industry OfficePeople's Republic of ChinaRt Hon Helen ClarkDr Michael CullenNanaia MahutaDover SamuelsAnnette KingDavid CunliffePhil GoffDamien O'ConnorJim Sutton