The prime minister of New Zealand has stressed the importance of his country’s trade ties with China in a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

The leaders of China and New Zealand discussed on Friday the role of trade in boosting ties, while New Zealand also pressed its interests for peace and security in the Pacific, government statements showed.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital o

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who is on his first official visit to China, said the Cook Islands had not been transparent and open about its comprehensive strategic partnership with China.

New Zealand has halted millions of dollars in funding to the Cook Islands over agreements the smaller Pacific nation made with China, officials in Wellington said Thursday.

New Zealand has what is known as a "free association" relationship with the Cook Islands, and helps the latter with defence and foreign affairs. In the last three years, Wellington provided NZ$194m in funding to the Cook Islands, according to government figures.