Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and China President Xi Jinping have met for what she says was a "constructive" conversation in Thailand overnight.

A Government readout of the meeting at Bangkok's Mandarin Oriental Hotel, on the side of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, said Ardern spoke to Xi of the strength of the bilateral connection and significant areas of cooperation including trade, agriculture, climate change and the environment.

The statement said Ardern also raised New Zealand's concerns regarding Xinjiang, Hong Kong, the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

"Noting New Zealand's interest in peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, the Prime Minister acknowledged China’s long-standing relationships in the Pacific but encouraged that where issues or cooperation impacted the broader pacific region, engagement with regional architecture such as the pacific island forum was key."

The Government's tone on both security and Beijing's growing presence in the South Pacific toughened this year after China and the Solomon Islands struck a security pact.

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According to the statement, Ardern encouraged China to use its influence and access to help address regional and international security challenges such North Korea's behaviour and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"The Prime Minister registered the importance of working together to sustain the rules, norms and systems that have served the region and the world so well for so many decades."

Earlier, during a meeting with several other Asia-Pacific leaders, US Vice President Kamala Harris called a separate emergency gathering to condemn North Korea after it tested a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile.

Xi also earlier delivered a written speech to other leaders at the APEC forum, telling them the Pacific is no one's backyard and shouldn't be the arena for a power contest. 

He said no attempt to wage a new Cold War would ever be allowed by the people or by the times.