New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
12 May 2023
195 Lambton Quay
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
John Luke
T +64 4 439 8000
[FYI request #22125 email]
F +64 4 472 9596
OIA 28581
Tēnā koe John Luke
Thank you for your email of 17 March 2023, which was transferred to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Trade (the Ministry) on 5 April 2023, in which you request the following under the
Official Information Act 1982 (OIA):
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newshub.co.
nz%2Fhome%2Fpolitics%2F2023%2F03%2Fchina-wants-to-help-new-zealand-recover-
from-cyclone-gabrielle-including-financing-constructing-key-
infrastructure.html&data=05%7C01%7Cinformation%40dpmc.govt.nz%7Ce7c2d2cd89ce4
bbbc51d08db26133f1a%7Ceea6053309ef4b7a94060f38551cc613%7C0%7C0%7C638145
636350050346%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIi
LCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=uy%2BzUG3k3MMurv
q%2BJQaJNRVwMac0KOfiF%2FDLKz%2BKdvc%3D&reserved=0
Can you please provide the full copy of the letter from Chinese Ambassador and full copy
of the BRI memorandum of arrangement.
On 4 May 2023, you were advised that the deadline for responding to your request was
extended by 10 working days to 18 May 2023, and provided with the BRI memorandum of
arrangement.
Your request for a copy of the letter from the Chinese Ambassador is refused under section
18(g)(i) of the OIA, as the information requested is not held by the department, and we have no
grounds for believing that the information is held by another department.
The Ministry has proactively searched across internal divisions for a copy of the letter, to no
success. The Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Minister for Trade and
Export Growth have confirmed that they do not hold a copy of the letter. Both the offices of the
Minister for Emergency Management and the Minister for Cyclone Recovery have also confirmed
that they do not hold this information.
Please note that we may publish this letter (with your personal details redacted) on the
Ministry’s website.
If you have any questions about this decision, you can contact us by email at:
[email address].
e [email address]
w www.mfat.govt.nz
Page 2 of 2
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision by
contacting www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Sarah Corbett
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade
