Relationship dossier
People's Republic of China
New Zealand
Relationship assessment
Substantial trade and partnership coexist with recurring security and human-rights disagreements.
People's Republic of China toward New Zealand
+25China has pursued economic cooperation with New Zealand through the bilateral free trade agreement, including its subsequent upgrades, and has maintained a comprehensive strategic partnership with the New Zealand government. These arrangements support sustained engagement, alongside recurring political differences.
New Zealand toward People's Republic of China
+25New Zealand has pursued economic cooperation with China through the bilateral free trade agreement and its upgrades, and has participated in the comprehensive strategic partnership. The New Zealand government has also raised concerns about China's human-rights record and regional security conduct, contributing to political friction.
Overall relationship
+25The relationship has a durable economic foundation in the free trade agreement and sustained political engagement through the comprehensive strategic partnership. These cooperative arrangements are balanced by recurring disagreements over security and human rights, producing a significant but qualified partnership.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
China and New Zealand maintain substantial economic and political engagement, including a free trade agreement and a comprehensive strategic partnership. The relationship also features recurring differences over security and human-rights issues, including New Zealand's public concerns about China's conduct and regional activities. Cooperation remains significant, but it coexists with political friction.
Areas of tension
- New Zealand's concerns about human rights in China, including Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
- New Zealand's security concerns and public positions on China's regional activities, including the South China Sea.
- New Zealand's concerns about foreign interference and the security implications of China's influence.
Key developments
China and New Zealand signed a bilateral free trade agreement, which entered into force later that year.
The two governments announced a comprehensive strategic partnership.
An upgrade to the China–New Zealand free trade agreement entered into force.
Major uncertainties
- The extent to which the 2022 free trade agreement upgrade has changed the range and balance of bilateral trade is unclear.
- The practical scope of cooperation under the comprehensive strategic partnership is unclear.
- The effects of security and human-rights disagreements on continuing bilateral cooperation are uncertain.