On December 19, 2023, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone call with New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters at the latter's request.

Wang Yi congratulated Winston Peters on his reappointment as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, and said that the international situation has undergone complex and profound changes, but the importance of China-New Zealand relations has not changed, the complementarity of the economies of the two countries has not changed, and China's positive attitude and policy of developing China-New Zealand relations have not changed. China is ready to maintain high-level exchanges with New Zealand and continue to carry forward the spirit of "striving to be the first" to work for the new development of the China-New Zealand relationship at a new starting point, in a bid to make it continue to serve as an example of mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win results for countries with different systems, civilizations and sizes.

Wang Yi said, China and New Zealand have huge potential for cooperation. The protocol on upgrading the free trade agreement between the two countries officially came into effect last year. The two sides should implement the protocol with high quality and start the negotiation on a negative list for trade in services at an early date, to promote the continuous improvement and upgrade of economic and trade cooperation. As China and New Zealand differ in the political system, history and culture, and development stage, the two sides should adhere to mutual respect and mutual understanding, put themselves in each other's positions, and properly handle differences and disagreements. China is ready to strengthen multilateral coordination with New Zealand to jointly uphold the international system with the United Nations (UN) at its core and the international order underpinned by international law, and jointly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

Winston Peters expressed sympathies on the earthquake in China's Gansu. Winston Peters said that New Zealand attaches importance to its relations with China, and is willing to push for the continuous development of New Zealand-China relations to safeguard and promote the common interests of the two countries. New Zealand looks forward to strengthening cooperation in such areas as trade and tourism to make up for the losses caused by the pandemic. New Zealand is committed to upholding and consolidating multilateralism, attaches importance to China's role in international and regional affairs, and expects China to make greater contributions to regional and world peace and stability. As Pacific countries, New Zealand and China can strengthen cooperation in climate change and other fields to jointly bring benefits to Pacific Island countries.

The two sides also had an exchange of views on international hotspot issues including the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Ukraine crisis.