Premier Wen Jiabao met on Sunday in Cebu with New Zealand Prime
Minister Helen Clark.
Wen said that New Zealand is the first among Western countries
to have signed a bilateral agreement on China's joining World Trade
Organization, to have recognized the market economy status of China
and to start bilateral free trade talks. This showed Wellington's
wisdom and wide perspective in developing relations with China.
He said China equally pays great importance to its relations
with New Zealand and regards the country as a key cooperative
partner in the South Pacific region.
Wen said relations between China and New Zealand have solid
basis, and there exists a wide perspective of cooperation between
the two countries.
He suggested that the two countries fully take advantage the
existing and multiple mechanism for exchange to strengthen dialogue
and actively implement the agreement reached by the leaders of the
two countries on development Sino-New Zealand comprehensive
partnership for mutual benefits in the 21st century, for the good
of the two peoples.
Wen said talks on establishing a Sino-New Zealand free trade
area is moving forward with stable steps in accordance with the
agreement reached by the two countries. He said both sides properly
deal with all the problems and differences on the basis of
flexibility and pragmatism, to let the talks obtain more positive
results, so that the two countries can reach the aim of striking a
comprehensive, balanced and high quality agreement at the
foreseeable time.
Clark said it is very important for New Zealand to develop
friendly and cooperative relations with China. She said the
successful visit to New Zealand by Premier Wen last April gave a
clear roadmap for future cooperation of the two countries.
She said New Zealand is ready to make common efforts with China,
to maintain the momentum of high level visits between the two
countries, and to push forward bilateral cooperation to make it
bear more concrete results, in order to let the two countries
establish a solid strategic relationship.
Clark also said New Zealand pays great importance to the
building of a free trade area with China.
She said that while keeping in mind the principle of mutual
understanding and compromise and taking into consideration the
interests and concerns of both sides, Wellington is ready to move
forward the negotiation process on such a free trade area in
accordance with the timetable agreed upon by the two sides.
(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2007)
