UK secretary to visit New Zealand for trade talks

One of the United Kingdom’s top government ministers will touch down tomorrow in New Zealand for a three-day trip, aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries after Brexit.

The UK secretary of state for international trade Liam Fox will visit Auckland and Wellington to meet senior ministers and members of the business community.

Mr Fox’s visit comes just four months after UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson came to New Zealand for talks on trade, foreign policy and international security issues.

Minister of Trade David Parker says the issue of free trade will be on the agenda for talks with Mr Fox.

“We welcome secretary Fox’s visit as an opportunity to strengthen our close relationship at a time when the United Kingdom is seeking to reshape its relationships around the world following its decision to leave the European Union.”

He says both New Zealand and the UK are “strong advocates” for progressive and inclusive trade.

Both parties have been committed to laying the foundations for a free trade agreement once the UK leaves the EU. The UK cannot sign FTAs with other countries until it has formally left, which is expected to occur in March 2019.

Mr Johnson has said New Zealand would be “at or near the front of the queue” when it comes to negotiating an FTA.

He and then-Foreign Affairs Minister Gerry Brownlee established a “people-to-people dialogue,” which they say will provide a forum for discussing a wide range of issues of “mutual interest.”

Mr Fox signalled earlier this year he was keen to travel to New Zealand at some point over the summer after facing criticism from the UK Labour party, who were worried about the potential impacts of an FTA with New Zealand on the sheep-meat sector.

Shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner asked at the time, “New Zealand is a land of 30 million sheep, six or seven sheep for every person, so has the secretary of state discussed the impact of a trade deal with the leader of the National Farmers' Union?”

“[The Farmers’ Union] regards the combination of a 43% World Trade Organisation tariff on sheep meat and increased market access for New Zealand as potentially fatal to our sheep farmers.”

Mr Fox said the concerns of the farming industry will be reflected in negotiations.