Christopher Luxon Meets Japan’s New Prime Minister as He Reaffirms NZ’s Anti-Nuclear Stance

President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says New Zealand would “discourage” any move by the United States to resume nuclear weapons testing, reaffirming the country’s long-standing anti-nuclear position.

Speaking to reporters after a series of high-profile meetings at APEC, Luxon said New Zealand remained “a proud anti-nuclear country.”

“There’s been a programme of de-nuclearisation around the world,” he said. “We don’t want to see a nuclear arms race.”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi // RNZ

The remarks came after the US President said he wanted to restart nuclear testing “on an equal basis” with Russia and China. Luxon said there were alternative ways to evaluate weapons systems through computer modelling instead of live detonations.

Luxon meets with Donald Trump earlier this week at APEC Meeting

“It might well be something we discuss, but our position is pretty clear,” he said when asked whether he would raise the issue directly with President Trump.

Meetings Across Asia-Pacific

Luxon’s comments followed a busy day of bilateral and informal meetings with world leaders, including the Prime Ministers of Japan, Brunei and the United Arab Emirates, and the President of Indonesia. He also spoke briefly with Chinese President Xi Jinping later in the evening.

The meeting with Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi marked the pair’s first formal encounter. Luxon said both were eager to build a strong working relationship and deepen cooperation on defence and security.

“She was excited to meet, and so was I,” Luxon said. “It was a chance to build rapport and discuss how our countries can continue to strengthen ties.”

Trade and Regional Cooperation

Luxon’s discussion with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stretched for more than an hour, one of his longest sessions at APEC. The two leaders spoke about boosting trade, education and food security, with Luxon calling Indonesia “a key country” in Southeast Asia.

“Our trade has grown 10 percent, but we think it could grow a lot faster and a lot more,” he said, noting that New Zealand and Indonesia were looking to expand exports using existing free trade frameworks and strategic partnerships.

Luxon said both countries were aligned on improving food supply chains as global demand for meat and dairy continues to outpace production. “As countries become more interested in securing food for their populations, that’s where we come in,” he said.

Neither Gaza nor West Papua were discussed during the meeting, he confirmed.

Green Economy Initiative Launched

Earlier in the day, Luxon joined the leaders of Chile and Singapore to launch negotiations for a Green Economy Partnership Agreement, designed to accelerate trade and investment in environmentally sustainable industries.

Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay described the initiative as a “chance to seize opportunities in the global green economy,” which is expected to be worth trillions of US dollars in the next decade.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the partnership reflected the countries’ history of “pioneering innovative agreements together.” Chile’s President added that while their nations were small, their collaborative influence was “important and growing.”

The event also provided a lighter moment when the Chilean leader mistakenly guessed New Zealand’s population at “10 or 12 million,” prompting Luxon to politely correct him.

Building Momentum at APEC

Luxon said APEC remains a valuable forum for “birthing and incubating new ideas” between countries. “You never start with 21 countries all perfectly worked out,” he said. “You start with a few who have the energy to innovate — and others get attracted to it.”

Late on Friday, Luxon managed a brief exchange with President Xi Jinping, something he had hoped for earlier in the summit. He said the short conversation offered a chance to get “a sense of where he’s at” on regional issues.

Luxon wraps up his time at APEC in South Korea on Saturday, with the traditional “family photo” set to mark the end of the summit before he returns home that evening.