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Strategic Lens

China and New Zealand

First country

Second country

In 2025, China sold USD 8.07 billion of goods to New Zealand and bought USD 13.4 billion from it. The DESTA database lists 2 trade agreements that include both countries, the most recent being China New Zealand (consolidated) (2022). Both are members of APEC. Their agreement score in UN General Assembly voting was 59 percent in 2023, and 63 percent on average over 2019 to 2023. In 2025, China sold USD 198 million of fertilisers to New Zealand.

Benefits

  • BothTwo-way trade in mineral fuels and oils grew 195 percent, from USD 88.6 million in 2019 to USD 261 million in 2025.
  • BothTwo-way trade in fertilisers grew 55 percent, from USD 128 million in 2019 to USD 199 million in 2025.
  • BothTwo-way trade in machinery, vehicles and iron and steel grew 66 percent, from USD 1.06 billion in 2019 to USD 1.76 billion in 2025.

Constraints

  • BothThe two countries' customs reports differ on goods sold by China to New Zealand in 2025: China reports USD 8.07 billion and New Zealand reports USD 10.8 billion.
  • BothFlows are one-sided: in 2025, New Zealand sold USD 9.80 billion of agricultural and food products, against USD 373 million the other way.
  • BothFlows are one-sided: in 2025, China sold USD 198 million of fertilisers, and New Zealand sold almost none.

Sources: UN Comtrade (public preview API), annual goods trade, HS classification (retrieved 26 September 2026); DESTA: Design of Trade Agreements database, version 02_03 (retrieved 25 September 2026); Wikidata, statements on membership (property P463) (retrieved 26 September 2026); United Nations General Assembly voting data (Voeten, Strezhnev and Bailey), agreement scores (retrieved 25 September 2026)

Last updated on 26 September 2026

At a glance

Goods trade, both ways
USD 21.5 billion
2025, as reported by China
China to New Zealand
USD 8.07 billion
2025, as reported by China
New Zealand to China
USD 13.4 billion
2025, as reported by China

What connects China and New Zealand

Economy

Trade in goodsIn 2025, China sold USD 8.07 billion of goods to New Zealand and bought USD 13.4 billion from it.

Resources

EnergyIn 2025, China sold USD 194 million of mineral fuels and oils to New Zealand and bought USD 66.8 million from it.Agriculture and foodIn 2025, China sold USD 373 million of agricultural and food products to New Zealand and bought USD 9.80 billion from it.FertiliserIn 2025, China sold USD 198 million of fertilisers to New Zealand.

Industry

Supply chains and manufacturingIn 2025, China sold USD 1.74 billion of machinery, vehicles and iron and steel to New Zealand and bought USD 24.5 million from it.TechnologyIn 2025, China sold USD 1.01 billion of electrical and electronic equipment to New Zealand and bought USD 17.8 million from it.Pharma and healthIn 2025, China sold USD 42.5 million of pharmaceutical products to New Zealand and bought USD 22.2 million from it.

Diplomacy

Agreements and treatiesThe DESTA database lists 2 trade agreements that include both countries, the most recent being China New Zealand (consolidated) (2022).Multilateral alignmentBoth are members of APEC. Their agreement score in UN General Assembly voting was 59 percent in 2023, and 63 percent on average over 2019 to 2023.Diaspora and mobilityIn 2024, 146 thousand people born in China lived in New Zealand, and 4 thousand people born in New Zealand lived in China.

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