The China-New Zealand free trade agreement (FTA) upgrade has now been fully implemented, as a new New Zealand conservative government settles in and develops its own China economic relations policy.

During New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins' visit to China this week, the two sides signed agreements on agriculture, intellectual property, and education, and committed to start negotiating a "negative list" for services.

Earlier this week, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced that he would be "leading a major trade delegation to China at the end of this month, with stops in Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai," the first such trip since 2016.

In a foreign policy speech on July 7, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gave a foreign policy speech that touched on several trade and foreign policy topics related to China.

A New Zealand organization has issued a new report on the New Zealand-China economic relationship, examining current trade flows as well as the risks of disruption.

Chinese agencies recently issued multiple documents to implement the upgrade protocol of the trade agreement between China and New Zealand. The new rules entered into force on April 7.

New Zealand recently passed a sanctions law that targets Russia, but could also cover certain Chinese actions related to Russia, and may lay the foundation for future broad sanctions legislation that could cover Chinese government actions.