New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins called for deepening economic, trade and environmental cooperation with China at the 9th Annual China Business Summit held on Monday in Auckland.

In a keynote speech, Hipkins recalled his China visit at the end of last month, leading a delegation of New Zealand's top businesses, exporters and representatives from its tourism, technology and education sectors.

"The New Zealand export story to China is well-known. It's a phenomenal success story propelled by our 2008 Free Trade Agreement that took two-way trade from 8 billion New Zealand dollars ($5.08 billion) that year to more than 40 billion New Zealand dollars ($25.4 billion) today," Hipkins said.

New Zealand's top three exports to China are dairy, meat and forestry, he said, adding that New Zealand has built up sizable economic interests in China, its largest offshore market and one of the world's largest consumer markets.

New Zealand will place a high value on engagement and dialogue with China, the prime minister told the audience at the summit.

He said New Zealand looks to work with China to tackle critical global issues, such as climate change and environmental protection, adding that it is in New Zealand's interests to do so.

Hipkins said one outcome from his China visit was an agreement to step up policy engagement on e-vehicles, with China being an important supply market for Kiwi consumers as New Zealand looks to transition to a low-carbon economy.

He said China and New Zealand will have a range of dialogues, including on green finance and forestry and emissions trading schemes, as well as a regular ministerial dialogue.

New Zealand also values China's leadership in presiding over adopting the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which sets new global goals and targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, he said.

(Cover: View of a harbor in Auckland, the city that hosted the 9th Annual China Business Summit, New Zealand, August 12, 2022. /CFP)