Xi in New Zealand, first presidential visit in 11 years

Chinese President Xi Jinping (3rd R) and his wife Peng Liyuan (2nd R) arrive at the airport of Auckland, New Zealand, on Nov. 19, 2014. Xi Jinping arrived Wednesday in Auckland to start his state visit to New Zealand at the invitation of Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae and Prime Minister John Key. Photo: Xinhua

Further cooperation expected on agriculture, husbandry and TV

Chinese President Xi Jinping kicked off his first state visit to New Zealand late Wednesday, a visit that will not only tighten bilateral relations and economic cooperation, but also further extend China's influence in Oceania. [Special coverage]

It is the first visit by a Chinese head of state to New Zealand in 11 years, and Xi's second trip to the country in four years.

According to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Xi will meet New Zealand's Governor-General Jerry Mateparae, attend the launch ceremony of the China-New Zealand mayoral forum and an agricultural technology exhibition, and sign a package of cooperation documents on climate change, TV production, education, the Antarctic, tourism, food security, finance, agriculture and telecommunication.

New Zealand's significance is second only to Australia in Oceania, and deepening cooperation with Australia and New Zealand will increase China's importance to Oceania, Li Wei, a professor at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times.

"Economic cooperation among China, New Zealand and Australia is complementary, and China growing presence in the Asia-Pacific region will benefit all parties," Li said.

New Zealand's importance in the international community also increased after it became a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2015-16.

Xi arrived in Auckland on Wednesday evening, and is to attend a state lunch at Wellington's Government House on Thursday and a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister John Key. On Friday he will head back to Auckland to meet the New Zealand China Council, speak at a business lunch and visit the New Zealand Bloodstock facility at Karaka, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Xi called for a "better future" for relations with New Zealand in an open letter to the New Zealand Herald Wednesday.

The president said China is the largest trading partner and the biggest source of international students for New Zealand, and New Zealand is the first developed country to have signed and implemented a free trade agreement (FTA) with China.

"China-New Zealand relations have gone beyond the bilateral scope and set a fine example for the pursuit of successful state-to-state relations," Xi said in the letter.

Since the two countries signed an FTA in 2008, bilateral trade has registered an annual increase of over 20 percent, and surpassed NZ$20 billion ($16 billion) so far this year - a target set to be reached by 2015. New Zealand's exports to China account for nearly one-quarter of its total export volume, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Xi wrote that China's strengths are in infrastructure and manufacturing, while New Zealand's advantages lie in agricultural science and technology, IT and clean energy. Thus, the two nations have much to offer to each other and can draw upon each other's strengths.

He called for more cooperation on agricultural husbandry, television co-production and more people-to-people exchanges with New Zealand.

Xi's visit followed the conclusion of talks on a landmark FTA between China and Australia. Regarding New Zealand media concerns that Australian exports to China might pose a competitive threat to their country, Chinese experts said the concern was unfounded.

"Their main exports to China are different," Shi Yinhong, professor of International Relations at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

He said that China imports mainly manufactured goods, agricultural products and wool from New Zealand, and imported minerals and industrial technology from Australia.

"Even though they both export dairy products, there won't be any adverse influence on New Zealand enterprises as China has a huge dairy market," Shi told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Both Shi and Li believe more international companies will gain access to China's huge market after China seals FTA deals with more nations.

New Zealand is the second leg of Xi's ongoing three-nation trip. He is scheduled to visit Fiji on Saturday and will hold talks with leaders from other Pacific island nations.