China and New Zealand
A large market for New Zealand production and an education and tourism relationship coexist with differences over human rights and security in the Pacific.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07From migration to a stable diplomatic relationship
Human contacts preceded diplomatic recognition: Chinese immigration linked to the Otago gold rush began in the nineteenth century.
Food, customs and access to the Chinese market
The 2008 free trade agreement was followed by an upgrade that entered into force on 7 April 2022.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 21,462.26 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Goods: China to New Zealand | 8,067.44 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Goods: New Zealand to China | 13,394.82 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: China to New Zealand | 0.21 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Export share: New Zealand to China | ||
| Investment stock: China in New Zealand | ||
| Investment stock: New Zealand in China |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods; full year; CHN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: China to New Zealand
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods; full year; CHN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: New Zealand to China
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods; full year; CHN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: China to New Zealand
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods share: CHN exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | China | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 19.5 trillion USD2025 · WB | 264.06 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 13,861.97 USD2025 · WB | 49,591.04 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 4.96 %2025 · WB | 0.46 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 1.4 %2026-09-24 · PBoC | |
| Inflation · annual average | 0.06 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 2.84 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 0.8 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · NBS China | |
| Unemployment | 4.62 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 5.08 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -7.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -3.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 99.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 54.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 3.77 %2025 · WB | -3.62 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 1,406,585,0002025 · WB | 5,324,7002025 · WB |
| Area | 9,562,910 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 267,710 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDChina: 2025 · World BankNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personChina: 2025 · World BankNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)China: 2025 · World BankNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)China: 2026-09-24 · PBoC: 7-day reverse repo · People’s Bank of China · Published: 2026-09-24 · Rate of the official operation consulted, not the mortgage LPR or the PSL lending rate. Subsequent operations with zero volume are not converted into a 0% interest rate.
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)China: 2025 · Average annual CPI change (%) · World BankNew Zealand: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedChina: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · National Bureau of Statistics of China · Published: 2026-09-09 · National headline year-on-year CPI, not monthly inflation or an annual average.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionChina: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.New Zealand: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)China: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.New Zealand: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)China: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.New Zealand: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPChina: 2025 · World BankNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleChina: 2025 · World BankNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceChina: 2023 · Total area including inland waters; territorial coverage of the source · World Bank · FAONew Zealand: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
China to New Zealand
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 1,071.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 1,009.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Wood and articles thereof | 80.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 2 M USD2025 · Source |
New Zealand to China
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 4,753.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Wood and articles thereof | 2,211.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 23.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 17.8 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | China to New Zealand | New Zealand to China |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24,583.8 | 8,427.9 | 16,156 |
| 2022 | 25,151.6 | 9,175.4 | 15,976.2 |
| 2023 | 21,347.2 | 7,868.5 | 13,478.7 |
| 2024 | 20,166.9 | 7,737.8 | 12,429.1 |
| 2025 | 21,462.3 | 8,067.4 | 13,394.8 |
Connections between people
Connections include communities of Chinese origin, education, tourism and research. The international student share is not a number of visas or permanent residents. [3] [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from China living in New Zealand | ||
| Residents from New Zealand living in China | ||
| Study and training: China in New Zealand | ||
| Study and training: New Zealand in China | ||
| Academic stays: China in New Zealand | ||
| Academic stays: New Zealand in China | ||
| Travel: China to New Zealand | ||
| Travel: New Zealand to China |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
From migration to a stable diplomatic relationship
Human contacts preceded diplomatic recognition: Chinese immigration linked to the Otago gold rush began in the nineteenth century. Official relations were established in December 1972. Today there are embassies, ministerial contacts and scientific cooperation in food, the environment and health. China has been New Zealand's largest trading partner since 2017, making decisions on sanitary market access, food demand and transport important domestic issues for New Zealand. This economic relationship coexists with an independent foreign policy and explicit discussions of matters on which the two governments disagree. [1]
Food, customs and access to the Chinese market
The 2008 free trade agreement was followed by an upgrade that entered into force on 7 April 2022. It includes rules on competition, e-commerce, public procurement and the environment. Removal of the remaining tariffs on New Zealand dairy products was completed in 2024. For producers and exporters, the trade framework matters because of its market-access rules, not just a year's sales volume. Services negotiations using a negative-list approach opened in June 2024: the aim is to define which activities remain restricted rather than listing only those permitted. [2] [1]
Students, visitors and research ties
China is the leading origin of international students in New Zealand and an important source of visitors. Education New Zealand reported 92,580 international students enrolled in 2025, of whom 34% came from China; the source publishes that share rounded, so it is not converted here into an exact count. Educational exchanges encompass universities, schools and other providers. Food, health and the environment feature prominently in research. These contacts connect businesses, families and communities as well as governments, helping explain why a diplomatic dispute does not encompass the entire relationship. [3] [1]
The scale of the two economies
China's reference nominal GDP is 19,498 billion USD in 2025, compared with 264.1 in 2025 for New Zealand. The reference populations are 1,406.59 million (2025) and 5.32 million (2025), respectively. In the same year, China's nominal GDP was 73.84 times New Zealand's. These figures contextualise market size; they do not by themselves describe well-being, individual wealth or political influence. IMF estimates or population extrapolations retain their labels in the table. No ratio is calculated when periods do not match. [6] [7] [8] [9]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
The differences discussed in April 2026
The consultations in Beijing on 23 April 2026 reviewed trade, climate, agriculture, police cooperation and people-to-people contacts. New Zealand raised concerns about tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea and called for activity in the Pacific to respond to the priorities of its countries. Both discussed the fuel crisis and supply-chain resilience. The meeting demonstrates a functioning diplomatic channel, not the disappearance of their differences. Wellington also holds human rights discussions with Beijing, both privately and publicly. [4] [1]
Observed economic exchange
In 2025, recorded goods trade between China and New Zealand totalled 21,462.3 million USD. Shipments from China to New Zealand were 8,067.4 million USD; those in the reverse direction were 13,394.8 million USD. China's shipments to the partner represented 0.21% of its goods exports to the world, using the same year and reporter. A single customs reporting source is used for both directions. This annual flow does not include all services activity or affiliates' local sales and is not added to accumulated investment capital. [5]
Milestones and consequences
- 1972-12
Diplomatic relations
Beginning of the official relationship between the two states. [1]
- 2008
Free trade agreement
The bilateral trade-access framework is established. [2]
- 2022-04-07
Upgrade of the agreement
The modernisation of trade rules enters into force. [1]
- 2026-04-23
Consultations in Beijing
Economic cooperation and regional differences in the same meeting. [4]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Each figure retains its period, unit, definition and source. Announcements, contracts and results are not interchangeable. Empty cells do not mean zero. Customs data for 2025 are not presented as activity observed during later crises.
- New Zealand's relations with China
New Zealand MFAT · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- New Zealand–China trade agreement
New Zealand MFAT · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- 2025 international enrolments
Education New Zealand · Institutional source · Document: 2026-05-13 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- April 2026 diplomatic consultations
New Zealand MFAT · Institutional source · Document: 2026-04-23 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 156; partners 0,554,702,458,764,404
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 04; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 44; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 84; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 85; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 04; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 84; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 85; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 44; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.