Ardern was scheduled to visit China early this year but the invitation has been put on hold. The 2019 China-New Zealand Year of Tourism was meant to be launched with great fanfare at Wellington's Te Papa museum next week, but that has been postponed by China. Ardern said after the Cabinet meeting yesterday that the official visit to Beijing is being worked on. New Zealand sources in Beijing say her first visit to China is not expected any time soon. Sources in Beijing say China plans trade retaliation and the turning back of an Air New Zealand plane at the weekend may not have been a coincidence.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 11, 2019 16:52 UTC