China–New Zealand relations
Dates Minister/Delegate Cities visited Reason
April 2006 Minister of Foreign Affairs , Li Zhaoxing Wellington Official Visit
April 2006 Minister of Commerce , Bo Xilai Wellington Official Visit
April 2006 Minister of the National Development and Reform Commission , Ma Kai Wellington Official Visit
February 2006 Minister of Science and Technology , Xu Guanhua Wellington Official Visit
November 2004 Chief of General Staff , People 's Liberation Army , General Liang Guanglie Various Official Visit
May 2004 Minister of Commerce , Bo Xilai Wellington Official Visit
October 2003 Minister of the National Development and Reform Commission , Ma Kai Wellington Official Visit
October 2003 Minister , General Administration of Quality Supervision , Inspection and Quarantine ( AQSIQ ) , Li Changjiang Wellington Official Visit
October 2003 Minister of Foreign Affairs , Li Zhaoxing Wellington Official Visit
July 2003 Minister of Culture , Sun Jiazheng Various Official Visit
March 2002 Minister of Foreign Affairs , Tang Jiaxuan Wellington Official Visit
September 2001 Minister of Justice , Zhang Fusen Wellington Official Visit
September 1999 Minister of Foreign Affairs , Tang Jiaxuan Wellington Official Visit
State visits -- New Zealand tours by Chinese delegates and ministers
The China-New Zealand relations, sometimes known as Sino-New Zealand relations, refers to the relations between China and New Zealand. New Zealand recognised the Republic of China after it lost the Chinese Civil War and retreated to Taiwan in 1949, but switched recognition to the People's Republic of China on 22 December 1972. Since then, economic, cultural, and political relations between the two countries have grown over the past four decades. China is New Zealand's largest trading partner in goods and second largest trading partner in services. In 2008, New Zealand became the first developed country to enter into a free trade agreement with China. In recent years, New Zealand's extensive economic relations with China has been complicated by its security ties to the United States. In addition to formal diplomatic and economic relations, there has been significant people-to-people contact between China and New Zealand. Chinese immigration to New Zealand dates back to the gold rushes of the 1860's and has substantially increased during the 1980s, 1990s, and the 21st century.