Hon Paula Bennett
Minister for Climate Change Issues

17 February 2017 Media Statement

China and New Zealand discuss climate change

Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett says China and New Zealand have experience and expertise to share about responding to climate change.

Mrs Bennett today met with China’s top official for climate change, Mr Zhang Yong, Vice Chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, at Premier House in Wellington.

Mrs Bennett and Mr Zhang held the first Ministerial dialogue under the New Zealand-China Climate Change Cooperation Arrangement Memorandum signed by the two countries’ leaders in 2014.

“China is a key player in the global response to climate change and the implementation of China’s commitments under the Paris Agreement will be critical for its success,” says Mrs Bennett.

“Mr Zhang’s extended visit to New Zealand so soon after the Paris Agreement entering into force underscores New Zealand’s standing within the international climate change community and the prospects for greater bilateral cooperation.”

Mrs Bennett says the dialogue built on positive discussions she had last November with senior Chinese representatives at the COP 22 climate change negotiations in Marrakech.

During his stay, Mr Zhang is meeting with the Auckland City Council, visiting the world-leading New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre in Palmerston North, the NZ Forest Research Institute in Rotorua and Te Mihi Geothermal Power Station North of Taupo.

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