SYDNEY -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Thursday that they want to boost trade and manage differences in the countries' relationship, which has cooled in recent years with Wellington adopting a warier stance toward Beijing.
Li is in New Zealand for a three-day trip, marking the first by a Chinese premier since his predecessor Li Keqiang's visit in 2017. The years since have seen a shift in Wellington's approach to its largest trading partner, say analysts, from a focus on economic opportunities to a greater willingness to push back on concerns over security and threats to the region's stability.
