Recently , Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao met with Damien O’Connor, Minister for Trade and Export Growth of New Zealand, via videolink. The two ministers announced that the two sides have completed domestic ratification processes of the Upgrade Protocol of the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, and that the Upgrade Protocol will enter into force on April 7.

The two countries agreed that, in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations in 2022, the two sides will implement the Upgrade Protocol up to high standards, to boost trade and investment exchanges, bring bilateral trade and economic relationship to a higher level, and expand the China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership.

The China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement was signed on April 7, 2008, and entered into force on October 1 of the same year. The two sides began negotiations on upgrading the FTA in November 2016, and officially signed the Upgrading Protocol on January 26, 2021.