Ardern says she must be able to raise concerns in Xi Jinping meeting without ‘retaliatory acts’

Ahead of first meeting with China's president in three years, New Zealand PM calls for environment where differences can be discussed

Jacinda Ardern has said she must be able to raise concerns with Beijing without prompting retaliatory acts", on the eve of her planned meeting with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping.

The pair's first in-person bilateral meeting since 2019 is due to take place on Friday evening on the sidelines of the Apec forum. It comes during a strained time in New Zealand-China relations, where ideological differences - and New Zealand's economic reliance on China as an export market - have continued to grow.