China and New Zealand held the 34th bilateral economic and trade commission meeting in Beijing on June 5, 2026. The meeting focused on deepening economic ties and cooperation in regional and multilateral frameworks [1, 2].
Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang and New Zealand Deputy Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade Mark Gore co-chaired the session [2]. Li said, "Both sides should further promote trade and investment cooperation and advance negotiations on a services trade 'negative list' under their free trade agreement" [1]. He added that under strategic leadership from both countries, the potential for China-New Zealand economic and trade cooperation is continuously being released, emphasizing fuller use of the joint commission mechanism to push forward trade and investment cooperation and free trade agreement negotiations [2].
New Zealand reiterated its willingness to expand bilateral trade cooperation and accelerate talks on the services trade negative list. New Zealand also welcomed more Chinese companies to invest and develop business in the country [2].
China remains New Zealand's largest trading partner and the biggest source of international students [2]. Both governments emphasized the importance of upholding the multilateral trade system centered on the World Trade Organization (WTO). They also highlighted the need to strengthen cooperation within regional frameworks, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) [2].
The meeting marked the 34th session of the bilateral trade commission, continuing a long history of dialogue aimed at boosting economic collaboration between the two nations [2].
Officials agreed to keep pushing negotiations on the free trade agreement’s services trade negative list and actively engage in multilateral and regional trade discussions going forward [1, 2].
