World leaders at the APEC Summit. Photo: Pool photo / Chris Skelton
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is in Peru to attend the 2024 APEC Summit.
The leaders of APEC's 21 economies from the Asia-Pacific region are meeting just a week after Donald Trump was declared the US president-elect.
While it is departing US President Joe Biden representing the US, Trump's proposed tariffs will feature heavily in leader to leader conversations this weekend.
On Saturday, Luxon met with China's President Xi Jinping he told travelling New Zealand media there was plenty to cooperate on with China when it comes to trade, but neither leader shied away from raising differences either.
"We discussed tensions within the region, particularly around the South China Sea, we realised human rights, we talked about the Pacific Island nations as well, and wanting to work through the Pacific Islands' Forum."
Luxon said China did not see the AUKUS alliance between Australia, the US and UK as a positive for the Asia-Pacific region.
"We would disagree. We think it does give regional stability and security. As you know, we're in a very early stage still of exploring that's still at the officials level. It's still going very slowly."
Luxon said speaking to Xi about differences of opinion on AUKUS is no different to when he brings up issues with his Australian counterpart about 501 deportees.
He said Trump's re-election was not discussed, nor were trade tariffs more broadly.
Luxon also met with Biden and the US secretary of state Antony Blinken. Luxon said he took the chance to thank Biden for his 50 years of public service and his recent interactions with New Zealand in the Pacific.
Luxon said Biden had a lot of time for New Zealand, and he invited him to pay a visit here once he departs politics.
Biden was due to hold his last meeting as president with Xi Jinping on Sunday morning (NZ time).
The White House said the discussions on the sidelines of the APEC summit would focus on what it has called a delicate period of transition, with Trump promising to impose heavy tariffs on China.