(Bandar Seri Begawan, 1st) During the informal dialogue of APEC Economic Leaders, His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei held a bilateral meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, during which both sides exchanged views on strengthening cooperation between the two countries.
During the meeting, His Majesty highlighted that Brunei and New Zealand have maintained a long-standing good relationship in areas such as trade, defense, and people-to-people exchanges, and pointed out that New Zealand is an important and long-term trading partner of Brunei.
His Majesty welcomed more opportunities to further strengthen the economic ties between the two countries and expressed support for New Zealand's willingness to enhance cooperation in food security and halal food sectors.
In addition, His Majesty particularly emphasized that people-to-people interactions form an important foundation of bilateral relations and help bring the peoples of both countries closer together. His Majesty also invited Prime Minister Luxon to visit Brunei at a suitable time to deepen the friendship between the two sides.
Brunei and New Zealand have maintained close and friendly relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations on May 5, 1984. In addition to continued cooperation in areas such as education, defense, trade, and investment, the two countries have also further consolidated their bilateral relations through joint participation in regional and international organizations.