On June 13, witnessed by Premier Li Qiang and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay signed an exchange of letters launching the negotiations on trade in services in China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement based on the negative list approach.

New Zealand is the first developed country to conclude a bilateral free trade agreement with China, and the China-New Zealand FTA is the first comprehensive and high-level free trade agreement that China has signed, covering broad areas such as goods, services, investment, movement of people and standard recognition. The launch of the service trade negotiations of the China-New Zealand FTA based on a negative list approach will promote high-standard institutional opening-up of China’s service trade, unlock the potential of bilateral service trade, deliver more benefits to the businesses and people of the two countries.