NZ and Malaysia Sign Agreement with Focus on Trade, Defence, and Education

Prime Minister Luxon expressed his enthusiasm for the relationship, highlighting Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, as a priority for his government.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Malaysian counterpart, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, have reinforced their nations' commitment to a bilateral Strategic Partnership through a Joint Statement issued at the conclusion of Prime Minister Luxon’s inaugural official visit to Malaysia. The leaders discussed enhancing cooperation in defence and security, education, trade, and people-to-people connections, emphasizing the enduring friendship between New Zealand and Malaysia.

Prime Minister Luxon expressed his enthusiasm for the relationship, highlighting Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, as a priority for his government. He noted the importance of refreshing the partnership to keep it relevant for the future.

"Our defence ties with Malaysia are long-standing, and we are committed to regional defence cooperation through the Five Power Defence Arrangements. Additionally, we will continue close collaboration on countering terrorism and combating transnational organized crime," Luxon stated.

The Prime Ministers acknowledged the robust and complementary bilateral trade relationship and set a goal to increase the value of two-way trade by 50 percent over the next six years. They announced plans to review the Malaysia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, aiming to eliminate unnecessary trade barriers, enhance market access, and reduce transaction costs for exporters.

Further cooperation was also pledged in areas such as education, youth and sports exchanges, and disaster management.

Prime Minister Luxon's visit to Malaysia will continue with a series of business and political engagements before he departs for Korea later in the evening.