China Justice Observer

中司观察

EnglishArabicChinese (Simplified)DutchFrenchGermanHindiItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseRussianSpanishSwedishHebrewIndonesianVietnameseThaiTurkishMalay

China, New Zealand Upgrade Free Trade Pact

Tue, 30 Mar 2021
Categories: China Legal Trends

On 26 Jan., China and New Zealand signed the “Protocol between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of New Zealand on the Upgrading of the Free Trade Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of New Zealand (中华人民共和国政府与新西兰政府关于升级<中华人民共和国政府与新西兰政府自由贸易协定>的议定书).

For the trade of goods, the Protocol adds the market opening for certain wood and paper products and further optimizes trade rules like rules of origin, technical barriers to trade and customs facilitation. For service trade, on the basis of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, China further expands its opening-up to New Zealand in areas of aviation, education, finance, elderly care and passenger transport. For investment, New Zealand lowers its thresholds for reviewing Chinese investment and confirms to grant Chinese investment the same review treatment as members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). For rules, both sides pledge to enhance cooperation in areas of e-commerce, competition policy, government procurement, environment and trade.

The China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement signed in April 2008 was implemented on 1 Oct. 2008. In November 2016, the two sides initiated negotiations on the upgrading of the FTA. In November 2019, the two sides announced the conclusion of negotiations on the upgrading.

Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team

Save as PDF

You might also like

ABLI-HCCH webinar: Cross-Border Commercial Dispute Resolution – Electronic Service of Documents and Remote Taking of Evidence (July 10, 2025)

The Asian Business Law Institute (ABLI) and the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) will host their fourth joint webinar on July 10, 2024 (5:00–6:10 PM SGT), focusing on electronic service of documents and remote taking of evidence under the Service and Evidence Conventions, featuring expert speakers, with an early bird discount available until June 10.

China Tightens Corporate Personal Data Audit Rules

In February 2025, China's Cyberspace Administration issued the "Measures for the Administration of Personal Information Protection Compliance Audits", effective May 1, 2025, mandating regular audits for companies, especially those processing data of over 10 million individuals, to ensure transparency and legality in personal data handling.

SPC Releases Typical Cases on Telecom Fraud Crimes

In February 2025, China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) released eight typical telecom fraud cases, exposing new criminal methods and highlighting intensified judicial efforts after handling 31,000 such cases in 2023.

SPC Targets Cyber Extortion with Typical Cases

In February 2025, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) released six typical cases showcasing its crackdown on emerging cyber extortion crimes, including spreading rumors and sextortion, to encourage victims to seek legal protection.

China Issues New Rules on Foreign-Related IP Disputes

In March 2025, China issued regulations effective May 1, 2025, to enhance dispute resolution, evidence collection, and countermeasures for foreign-related intellectual property disputes, strengthening services and enterprise capabilities.

SPC Issues China’s First Anti-Anti-Suit Injunction (AASI) in IP Case

In December 2024, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) issued its first anti-anti-suit injunction in a patent dispute, Huawei v. Netgear, prohibiting Netgear from obstructing Huawei’s Chinese litigation, marking a significant step in global standard-essential patent governance.

SPC Launches Diversified Dispute Resolution Case Database

In February 2025, China's Supreme People's Court launched a public “Diversified Dispute Resolution Case Database” with over 200 cases, showcasing mediation and arbitration examples across various dispute types to guide alternative dispute resolution.