On April 13, 2026, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Zhao Leji held talks with Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Gerry Brownlee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Zhao Leji stated that the China-New Zealand relations have maintained a good momentum of development, with cooperation results constantly emerging in various fields. China is willing to work with New Zealand to implement the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and the leader of New Zealand, strengthen strategic communication, deepen pragmatic cooperation, and promote the development of the China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership.

Zhao Leji pointed out that mutual respect, inclusiveness, focus on cooperation and common development have been valuable experience gained since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries more than 50 years ago. The two sides should deepen understanding and mutual trust, stay true to the original aspiration of establishing diplomatic ties, carry forward the pioneering spirit, promote win-win outcomes through cooperation, and respect each other’s core interests and major concerns. China appreciates New Zealand’s repeated pledges to uphold the one-China policy. China is willing to deepen cooperation with New Zealand in traditional fields like agriculture, forestry, mechanical and electrical products, and explore the strengthening of cooperation in emerging fields such as digital economy, green transformation and artificial intelligence, to create more growth points for cooperation that meet the development needs of the two countries. The two sides should deepen friendly exchanges between the two peoples, especially the younger generation, and promote local exchanges. Both countries should strengthen communication and coordination under multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization (WTO) to jointly advance equal and orderly multipolarity and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

Zhao Leji emphasized that China’s NPC is ready to work with the New Zealand parliament to maintain multi-level and multi-field exchanges. Based on the functions and characteristics of legislative bodies, the two sides should conduct exchanges on governance experience and provide legal guarantees for practical cooperation between the two countries. Zhao Leji introduced the outline of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan and its Ecological and Environmental Code, and welcomed more New Zealand enterprises to expand in the Chinese market. China is willing to carry out experience exchange and practical cooperation with New Zealand in eco-environmental legislation, green and low-carbon development, and climate change response.

Gerry Brownlee stated that New Zealand attaches great importance to developing cooperation with China. Based on mutual trust and candid communication, the New Zealand-China relationship is very mature. New Zealand adheres to the one-China policy. Both countries are committed to making people’s lives better, and New Zealand is glad to see the tremendous achievements China has made in its development. The two countries have achieved fruitful cooperation in areas including economy and trade, new energy, education, youth and climate change, and people-to-people exchanges play an important role in bilateral relations. The members of the New Zealand parliamentary delegation come from various political parties and all support the further development of relations with China. The New Zealand parliament is willing to enhance friendly exchanges with China’s NPC, deepen communication in areas such as legislation, strengthen mutual understanding and people-to-people friendship, and make positive contributions to promoting practical cooperation between the two countries.

Zhang Qingwei attended the meeting.