Relationship dossier
Hong Kong
New Zealand
Relationship assessment
Economic cooperation persists alongside a rupture in extradition cooperation after Hong Kong’s National Security Law.
Hong Kong toward New Zealand
+20Hong Kong concluded a closer economic partnership agreement with New Zealand in 2010, which entered into force in 2011, and participated in a bilateral extradition arrangement. Hong Kong’s external relations operate within the limits of its status as a special administrative region of China.
New Zealand toward Hong Kong
+5New Zealand maintained economic and legal arrangements with Hong Kong, but suspended its extradition agreement with Hong Kong in 2020 following the imposition of the National Security Law.
Overall relationship
+15The relationship has a practical economic foundation, including a closer economic partnership agreement, alongside earlier legal cooperation. New Zealand’s 2020 suspension of extradition cooperation after the National Security Law created a major bilateral setback. Hong Kong’s external affairs are conducted within the limits of its special administrative status.
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
Hong Kong and New Zealand have maintained practical economic and legal cooperation, including a bilateral closer economic partnership agreement and an extradition arrangement. New Zealand suspended its extradition agreement with Hong Kong in 2020 after the imposition of the National Security Law, marking a significant setback. Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, and its external affairs are subject to the limits of that status.
Areas of tension
- New Zealand’s suspension of its extradition agreement with Hong Kong following the National Security Law.
Key developments
Hong Kong and New Zealand signed a closer economic partnership agreement.
The closer economic partnership agreement between Hong Kong and New Zealand entered into force.
New Zealand suspended its extradition agreement with Hong Kong after the imposition of the National Security Law.
Major uncertainties
- The current scope and implementation of bilateral economic cooperation are unclear.
- The status and practical consequences of legal cooperation beyond the suspended extradition arrangement are unclear.