(Bloomberg) -- New Zealand will explore growing economic opportunities with the US irrespective of who wins the presidential election in November, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said, while reinforcing that his island nation has seen huge benefits from global free trade.
Luxon said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Friday that he is ready to work with the next US leader whether it was former President Donald Trump or incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris, but flagged that the easy movement of goods and services was vital to New Zealand’s prosperity.
“In terms of the last 20 years, New Zealand has no doubt about it benefited from an international rules based system, trade liberalization. We’re a small country without tariffs,” he said.
Asked about the prospect of New Zealand joining strategic technology partnerships under the Aukus agreement, alongside Australia, the US and the UK, Luxon said that any announcement was still some distance away.
“It’s still in the very early stages and I think that will take some time,” he said.
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