New Zealand has appointed Jonathan Austin as its new ambassador to China. Photo: Supplied
New Zealand has named senior Foreign Affairs diplomat Jonathan Austin as the country's new ambassador to China.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said Austin would represent New Zealand in Beijing - one of the country's key diplomatic postings overseas.
Austin has held several high-profile diplomatic roles in his career.
Most recently, he has served as divisional manager of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Pacific Regional Division.
Previous postings have included ambassador to Indonesia from 2019 to 2021, and high commissioner to Singapore and the Maldives from 2016 to 2019.
Austin's appointment comes at a crucial time for New Zealand's relationship with China.
While New Zealand continues to expand its trade ties with China, concerns over AUKUS and foreign interference still overshadow discussions between the two nations.
"Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand's interests are maintained and enhanced across the world," Peters said in a statement.
On Tuesday, Peters also named Phillip Taula as ambassador to Indonesia, Greg Lewis as ambassador to Turkey and Joanna Anderson as ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, based in Jakarta.
The new diplomatic assignments reflect New Zealand's focus on strengthening ties across Asia and Southeast Asia amid an evolving geopolitical landscape.
