New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to make curtailed China trip

Wellington, Mar 25 (AFP) New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared Monday that a long-awaited trip to China will happen one week from now, yet had been shortened in the wake of the Christchurch mosque killings.

Ardern said she would head out to Beijing on Sunday then hold a full day of meeting Monday with the leaders of New Zealand's largest trading partner, including President Xi Jinping, before returning home the next day.

She said she would not like to spend an excessively long time far from New Zealand as it keeps on grieving the March 15 shootings at two Christchurch mosques that claimed 50 lives.

"It was initially proposed to be a more drawn out visit, including a business designation, however in light of the current situation that did not appear to be suitable to be away for more," she told correspondents.

It will be Ardern's first visit to China since she was chosen in late 2017 - a bizarrely long sit tight for the pioneer of a country that marked a spearheading organized commerce manage Beijing in 2008.

There were fears that Beijing had delayed the outing in the midst of stressed relations after New Zealand's knowledge office last November stopped designs for Chinese-claimed Huawei to partake in a proposed 5G arrange, refering to "huge security dangers".

Ardern has more than once played down the Huawei spat and did not legitimately address it on Monday.

"This is a vital visit, New Zealand puts a high need on our relationship with China," she said.

"I look forward to our ongoing engagement." She said discussion things would include upgrading the bilateral free trade deal and combatting climate change.