"New Zealand's relationship with China is one of our most significant and wide-ranging so I was pleased to meet President Xi and reaffirm our important bilateral ties," Hipkins said in a statement after the meeting.

"I emphasised the key focus of our visit was to reaffirm our close economic relationship by supporting businesses renew their connections with Chinese counterparts and helping grow new ones to support New Zealand's economic recovery."

Hipkins said the discussion covered New Zealand and China's economic ties and areas of direct bilateral cooperation like trade, education, science and innovation, agriculture and tourism - as well as cultural connections.

"I also raised our shared interest in a stable and prosperous region, reiterating the importance of working together to support the international rules-based order and the constructive role China can play in addressing shared global challenges such as climate change, and the war in Ukraine," Hipkins said.

"We also engaged on areas where our cultures and political systems differ, and I reiterated we will always advocate for approaches and outcomes that reflect New Zealand's independent foreign policy or interests and values, in a respectful but consistent way."