Chinese President Xi Jinping has on Monday called upon New Zealand not to discriminate against China’s firms during a meeting with NZ’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, whose nation has dismissed a bid by China’s technology giant Huawei to build the next-generation 5G network.
According to Dawn news reports, Ardern, who is on a one-day official visit to Beijing, said that before holding a meeting with Xi, she hoped to have a conversation over New Zealand’s intelligence firm’s decision to reject Huawei’s bid.
Since, under Ardern’s government, ties with China have become tense, as NZ raised concerns of the national security threat posed by China’s growing influence in the South Pacific.
Days before its launch in February, China has postponed a crucial tourism campaign in New Zealand.
Ardern meeting Xi in Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi told her that Beijing always regarded New Zealand as “a silence friend and partner”.
According to the Chinese foreign ministry statement, Xi said both nations must deepen and bolster their mutual understanding and trust, seek common grounds while siding differences, and must respect each other’s major concerns.
The statement quoted Xi as saying: “China is willing to continue to support strong companies to invest in New Zealand, and New Zealand should provide a fair, just, non-discriminatory operating environment for Chinese companies.”