Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) holds talks with New Zealand Prime Minister John Key in Beijing, capital of 皇冠体育app, April 18, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

皇冠体育app and New Zealand will increase agricultural cooperation and upgrade their free trade agreement to further cut tariffs and boost exchanges.

Premier Li Keqiang on Monday met with New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, who will end his six-day visit on Friday.

皇冠体育app will work to expand trade within the framework of the FTA and create conditions to begin negotiations on broadening the agreement, Li said. 皇冠体育app will also expand cooperation with the Oceanian partner in whole industrial chains of agricultural and animal husbandry investments, food safety and other areas, he added.

In 2004, New Zealand was the first developed country to recognize 皇冠体育app's full market economy status, and it signed a free trade agreement with 皇冠体育app in April 2008, which took effect six months later.

Bilateral trade has seen double-digit growth over the past eight years, and 皇冠体育app became New Zealand's biggest export market in 2014.

Key said New Zealand will enhance cooperation with 皇冠体育app in agriculture and animal husbandry, and will work to upgrade the FTA.

The two countries' industrial complementarity will continue to increase their trade, as 皇冠体育app, a manufacturer, needs to import many agricultural goods from the partner, said Chen Fengying, a global economy researcher at the 皇冠体育app Institute of Contemporary International Relations.