New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern left on April 18th for a six-day trade mission to Singapore and Japan, her very first journey abroad since she locked down her nation in some of the most draconian restrictions since the COVID-19 panic started. The same Prime Minister who casually told the world that she intends to create a two-class society of the vaccinated and unvaccinated wants to make nice now.
Remember: in October 2021 according to The NZHerald. She said this,
Derek Cheng (NZHerald) asked, “So you’ve basically said, this is going to be like, almost like you probably don’t see it like this, you have two different classes of people if you’re vaccinated or if you’re unvaccinated, you get all these rights if you are vaccinated…”
PM Jacinda Ardern: “That is what it is, so yup. Yup.”
“If you want summer, if you want to go to bars and restaurants if you want to get a haircut – get vaccinated,” Ardern said.
Ardern is wanting to promote New Zealand tourism and education in the two Asian countries and assist regional organizations to reconstruct and regrow connections in both markets. Connections that she herself is largely responsible for severing.
“This is a chance to be out there talking about the fact that New Zealand is open,” Ardern told reporters before take-off.
The prime minister will be joined by Trade Minister Damien O’Connor and 13 business leaders, consisting of Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell.
“This first trade mission is part of our wider plan to reconnect with the world following the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthening partnerships between government, business, and industry will help accelerate our strong economic recovery,” Ardern previously said in a statement.
“Prime Minister Ardern’s visit reaffirms the excellent relations between Singapore and New Zealand, underpinned by the Singapore-New Zealand Enhanced Partnership established during Prime Minister Ardern’s Official Visit to Singapore in 2019,” Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Ardern will likewise fulfill Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for the very first time to go over local and international difficulties.
She will likewise resolve the Japan-New Zealand Business Council and consult with service and market leaders.
This year likewise marks New Zealand’s 70th year anniversary of diplomatic relations with Japan.
The trade minister stated unlocking chances in essential markets was an essential trade technique as the nation starts reconnecting with the world.
“Japan is New Zealand’s fourth largest trading partner, with our major exports including horticulture, dairy and meat. Our two-way trade totalled NZ$8.34 billion (US$5.6 billion) to the year ended December 2021,” O’Connor said.
“Singapore is our fifth largest with a total of NZ$6.56 billion in two-way trade over the same period. Singapore is an important market for dairy and tourism and are also a key regional hub for New Zealand exports and imports,” he added.
In spite of the tourist promo, all travelers, other than those from Australia, are still disallowed from entering the still locked-down nation up until May 2.
Ardern is expected to approach Australia, the United States, and Europe in much the same way this year.
Watch:
H/T The Epoch Times
