Xi's visit marks deepening of NZ-China relationship: NZ official

The relationship between New Zealand and China will deepen with the new strategic partnership announced during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit this week, a senior New Zealand official told Xinhua on Friday.[Special coverage]

Relations between the two countries were now "extremely positive," said Pat English, chief executive of the government's New Zealand China Council, which is charged with strengthening links across a broad range of fields.

The executive board of the council had held a private meeting with Xi earlier Friday and had been able to ask questions and comment on the relationship, English said in a phone interview.

"He talked about taking it to a new level -- a much more strategic partnership was the term he used. New Zealand's had a relationship with China that's evolved over the last 42 years and it's continued to improve as governments have come in and out," said English.

"It's always been a consistent approach so I think we're going to see an increase in bilateral trade. You'll get a lot more engagement between the government agencies involved in their respective areas -- trade, access, MPI (Ministry for Primary Industries), Customs, education, tourism, immigration."

"People-to-people links would also get stronger," said English.

"We've already got literally hundreds of thousands of Chinese who have studied over the years and gone back so we have this huge pool of Chinese in China who have an affinity and often a real connection to New Zealand," he said.

"There will be a certain deepening in that trusted relationship and there seems to be a very strong personal relationship between President Xi and (New Zealand Prime Minister) John Key."

The two sides would have to work together to tackle non-tariff barriers in the trade relationship, although the free trade agreement provided very good access for New Zealand goods through the reduction of Chinese tariffs.

"I think you're also going to see a much greater engagement between New Zealand and China in international forums especially with New Zealand now on the United Nations Security Council," he said, referring to New Zealand's non-permanent seat in 2015-2016.

Development in the Pacific would also benefit from the relationship.

"China sees New Zealand as a very strong partner in the Pacific and I think there's an opportunity to work with China in the Pacific. They're putting a lot of resources into that area."