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We provide key data, political and economic information and explain New Zealand's bilateral relationship with the following countries and territories in Asia:
New Zealand ’s relations with the countries of South and Southeast Asia are of growing importance to us. The region is our closest outside the South Pacific and our links with it go back many years. New Zealand is accredited to almost all countries in the region and we have embassies or high commissions in eight of these.
North Asia's economic prosperity and political stability is crucial to New Zealand. The New Zealand government has devoted considerable effort and resources to developing trade and political relationships in North Asia.
As the economies of North Asia develop and mature, New Zealand is continually looking for new opportunities and initiatives for cooperation. Investment, science and technology, tourism and education cooperation are examples of current activities underway between New Zealand and North Asia in support of the government's ETA.
We work closely with North Asian countries in a number of international and regional organisations, such as APEC and the Asia Regional Forum (ARF) as well as the UN. We have diplomatic posts in Tokyo, Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong. New Zealand also has significant economic and cultural ties with Taiwan. These are managed by the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office (NZCIO) in Taipei, which is a subsidiary of the Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce. We also manage relations with Mongolia and Macau through our Embassy in China, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) from our Embassy in Seoul.
The shift of economic influence to Asia over recent years has three key North Asian countries - Japan, China and the Republic of Korea - at its centre. These three are increasingly important for New Zealand as economic and trading partners, and their weight in international political and regional strategic affairs is growing. China in particular is growing rapidly in importance both bilaterally and regionally.
China, Japan and the Republic of Korea are respectively our third, fourth and ninth largest trading partners. Together with Taiwan and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region they account for a fifth (20 percent) of New Zealand's merchandise exports (NZ$8.96 billion) and a quarter (27 percent) of imports (NZ$12.89 billion). New Zealand and North Asia are natural trading partners with primary produce from New Zealand being exchanged for manufactured goods from North Asia. In addition, nearly two thirds (61 percent) of international students in New Zealand come from North Asia along with 14 percent of tourists.
New Zealand - China Free Trade Agreement
The Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and China entered into force on 1 October 2008. It was signed on the 7th of April 2008 in Beijing, bringing to the end a negotiation process that spanned fifteen rounds over three years. Negotiations for a Closer Economic Partnership with Hong Kong are currently on hold but interest in an agreement remains strong.
New Zealand and the Republic of Korea announced the launch of bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations on 3 March 2009 during the visit to New Zealand of Korean President Lee Myung-bak. A first round of negotiations took place in June 2009.
Between November 2006 and March 2009 a Joint Working Group, consisting of officials from a range of government agencies, met six times to examine the New Zealand - Japan economic relationship. The Joint Working Group process has now concluded and on 3 March 2009 completed a report on the bilateral economic relationship. The report provides an overview of recent trends in bilateral trade and investment; assesses recent international and regional policy developments and their implications; identifies and describes existing issues and challenges and ways to address these; and identifies possible initiatives for bilateral cooperation.
Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership
The Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership, formerly known as the Pacific Three Closer Economic Partnership, negotiations were launched by the President of Chile and the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Singapore at the APEC Leaders Summit in 2002. Brunei Darussalam asked to join the negotiations as a founding member before the final round of negotiations in April 2005.
Negotiations on a Closer Economic Partnership (CEP) agreement between New Zealand and Thailand were concluded in November 2004. In parallel with the CEP, New Zealand and Thailand have negotiated arrangements on labour, environment and customs cooperation.
The agreement between New Zealand and Singapore on a Closer Economic Partnership entered into force on 1 January 2001. It is the most comprehensive trading agreement, outside of Closer Economic Relations with Australia, that New Zealand has negotiated.
ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand
Leaders from ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand agreed in 2004 to launch negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement involving the 10 countries of ASEAN and Australia and New Zealand.
New Zealand and Malaysia agreed to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement on 31 March 2005.
To subscribe to newsletters produced by New Zealand posts in Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong or the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei, please send your email address to: nad@mft.govt.nz. These newsletters are online:
New Zealand has representation (embassies, consulates and other offices) in the following countries and territories in Asia:
We also have a New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office in Taiwan.
Pakistan is accredited through the New Zealand Embassy in Iran.
The Safe Travel website provides a travel advisory to North Asia, South Asia and South East Asia.
