New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
195 Lambton Quay
19 July 2024
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
Bhoe Gyalo
T +64 4 439 8000
F +64 4 472 9596
[FYI request #27268 email]
OIA 29478
Tēnā koe Bhoe Gyalo
We refer to your email of 15 June 2024 to Rt Hon Christoper Luxon in which you request the
following under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA):
I would like to request all official/unofficial meeting briefings/details between yourself and
China's Premier Li Qiang that was around human rights issues in China; in particular Tibet.
Did you bring up the topic of basic human rights issues in Tibet and the violation of freedom of
the ethnically minority Tibetan people inside China? Were any concerns raised by yourself on
this matter when the Premier was here in New Zealand?
Meeting dates - 13-15th June 2024.
On 21 June 2024 your request for information was transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Trade (the Ministry) for response.
The information relevant to your request is attached. We have withheld some information under
the following sections of the OIA:
•
6(a): to avoid prejudicing the security or defence of New Zealand or the international
relations of the New Zealand Government; and,
•
9(2)(a): to protect individuals’ privacy.
The notes taken by attendees at the meetings are withheld in full under the following sections of
the OIA:
•
6(a): to avoid prejudicing the security or defence of New Zealand or the international
relations of the New Zealand Government;
•
6(b)(i): to protect the passing of information from another government on a confidential
basis; and,
•
9(2)(g)(i): to protect the free and frank expression of opinions by departments
New Zealand is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights globally. The
New Zealand Government raises our concerns regarding human rights in China as part of our
regular diplomatic engagements. Recent visits to New Zealand by Premier Li Qiang in June 2024,
and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in March 2024, provided opportunities to register our concerns.
The Prime Minister’s press release dated 13 June 2024, provides a summary report of the
meeting between Prime Minister Luxon and Premier Li at Government House. This is publicly
available on the Beehive website
: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/prime-minister-luxon-
meets-premier-li
e [email address]
w www.mfat.govt.nz
Page 2 of 2
Please note that it is our policy to proactively release our responses to official information
requests where possible. Therefore, our response to your request (with your personal information
removed) may be published on the Ministry website:
www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/contact-
us/official-information-act-responses/ If you have any questions about this decision, you can contact us by email at:
[email address]. 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