During his visit to New Zealand, Li will exchange views on bilateral ties and other international and regional issues of common interest with Governor General Cindy Kiro, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and other officials, Xinhua news agency reported.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian pointed out that China and New Zealand are important cooperative partners, and praised the solid and stable development of ties between both countries, whose cooperation in various fields has brought enormous benefits to the two peoples.

During this visit, China expects to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, deepen cooperation, consolidate friendship, and promote the sound and stable development of bilateral relations, he said.

Subsequently, the Chinese head of Government will travel to Australia, where he will co-chair with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese the 9th Annual Meeting of Leaders of both countries and will keep extensive contact with people from all walks of society.

According to Lin, China is willing to take this visit as an opportunity to work with Australia to strengthen high-level exchanges, enhance mutual understanding and trust, deepen practical cooperation jointly build a more mature, stable and fruitful comprehensive strategic partnership.

The last leg of the Chinese prime minister’s tour will be Malaysia, a traditionally friendly neighbor, said the spokesman, who noted that since the establishment of diplomatic ties half a century ago, relations have maintained solid momentum, with deepening strategic mutual trust, high-quality fruitful cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, and increasingly closer people-to-people exchanges.

The Chinese prime minister will meet with Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, with whom he will also attend the festivities on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia.

jg/llp/jf/mpm