Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Minister for Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has returned to New Zealand after a whirlwind trip visiting several countries in the South and South East Asia region.
Peters' last stop was in Singapore, which he said was New Zealand's "most important defence partner in South East Asia".
Singapore was also New Zealand's fourth-largest trading partner and a critical transhipment hub for New Zealand goods, he said.
Peters met Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Mohamad Maliki Osman.
They discussed how to develop a stronger New Zealand-Singapore relationship and the most pressing regional and global challenges.
"Singapore and New Zealand have shared interests and perspectives on a broad range of issues," Peters said.
"Through the COVID era, we made considerable progress through cooperation on supply chains and food security."
The deputy prime minister said Singapore was a tech and innovation leader and an "ideal" partner for collaboration on "new and emerging areas", such as "the digital economy" and "the green transition".
"New Zealand looks forward to working with Singapore to further deepen ties, as well as to progress regional issues, including in the Pacific."
Peters also visited India and Indonesia on this trip in the region.
"The Coalition Government has identified South and South East Asia as a pivotal region in our efforts to deliver for New Zealand a more active, energetic foreign policy," he said.
"As we pursue an international agenda aimed at enhancing New Zealanders' security and prosperity, further high-level visits to South and South East Asia will follow in the coming six months."