Xi to Luxon: No China-New Zealand conflict, even as Cook Islands pivot raises eyebrows
BEIJING, June 20 — Chinese President Xi Jinping said today that Beijing had 'no fundamental conflicts of interest' with New Zealand, as he welcomed Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on an official visit.
Luxon's trip comes at a time of tension with New Zealand's close partner the Cook Islands over its ties with Beijing.
The self-governing Pacific island nation has a 'free association' agreement with its former colonial ruler, which provides budgetary assistance and support on foreign affairs and defence.
But the Cook Islands upset Wellington in February when it signed a string of strategic deals with China on deep-sea mining, regional cooperation and economic issues.
Xi told Luxon today that ties with New Zealand had 'long been at the forefront of China's relations with Western developed nations', according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
'There are no historical grievances or fundamental conflicts of interest between China and New Zealand,' the news agency reported Xi as saying.
The Chinese leader added that the two countries should 'tap potential for cooperation in areas such as scientific and technological innovation, climate change response, and infrastructure'.
They should also 'strengthen education, culture, youth, people-to-people and local exchanges, and enrich the connotations of bilateral relations', Xi said.
'We should respect each other, seek common ground while putting aside differences, and correctly view and handle the differences and disagreements between the two countries,' he said. — AFP
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