9 May 2023
James
[FYI request #22170 email]
Tēnā koe James
Thank you for your email of 20 March 2023 in which you request the following under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA):
Under the OIA please provide following information concerning your two day visit to China
in March 2023 to meet new Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang.
1. All information including but not limited to emails, texts, and phone calls relating to your
trip to China in March 2023, between yourself and PM, Chris Hipkins. This should include
the first notification you had that your trip was taking place.
2. All information including but not limited to emails, texts and phone calls detailing the
confirmation of dates for your travel, and confirmation of your travel itinerary.
We have numbered your request for ease of reference.
In relation to part one of your request, a link to the Cabinet Paper
Proposed Overseas Travel –
Hon Nanaia Mahuta and the associated Cabinet minute can be found via the link to Ministry of
Foreign
Affairs
and
Trade’s
website:
https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/media-and-
resources/proactive-release-proposed-overseas-travel-hon-nanaia-mahuta-china-march-23/.
The Proposed Overseas Travel letter to the Rt Hon Chris Hipkins and the information regarding
the second part of your request is attached. We have interpreted this to be for information
relating to the confirmation of dates of travel and confirmation of the travel itinerary only.
We have withheld some portions of the documents of the Proactive Release under the following
sections of the OIA:
•
6(a): to avoid prejudicing the security or defence of New Zealand or the international
relations of the New Zealand Government;
•
9(2)(a): to protect individuals’ privacy; and
•
s9(2)(f)(iv): to maintain the confidentiality of advice tendered to Ministers of the Crown by
officials.
Page 2 of 2
Where the information has been withheld under section 9 of the OIA, no public interest in
releasing the information has been identified that would override the reasons for withholding it.
Correspondence in these emails not relating to the confirmation of dates or the travel itinerary
have been deemed out of scope of your request. .
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision by
contacting
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa
Hon Nanaia Mahuta
Minita Take Aorere / Minister of Foreign Affairs