China ambassador, New Zealand foreign minister discuss relationship

By Lucy Craymer

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – China’s Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong stated on Friday that he and New Zealand’s overseas minister had mentioned how the 2 nations might steer bilateral relations to learn each side.

Wang, who began because the Chinese language ambassador in New Zealand in January, met with Overseas Minister Nanaia Mahuta on Thursday. The assembly had been organized previous to the discharge Wednesday of a United States-New Zealand assertion that China described as gravely interfering in its inside affairs.

Wang stated in a collection of tweets that he had reiterated China’s place on the U.S.-New Zealand joint assertion and that it was crucial to maintain dialogue going.

New Zealand’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs stated in an announcement late Thursday that the minister and ambassador additionally exchanged views on regional issues, significantly the South Pacific, and Mahuta had expressed concern on the challenges confronted by the area.

“The Minister took the chance to restate Aotearoa New Zealand’s issues relating to the China-Solomon Islands Safety Cooperation Settlement and highlighted that dialogue of regional safety issues was greatest undertaken via present regional establishments,” it added.

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Enhancing by Cynthia Osterman)