Jacinda Ardern raises concerns with Xi Jinping over Taiwan and urges ‘influence’ over North Korea tensions

New Zealand PM encouraged China ‘to bring peace and stability to end the conflict’ in North Korea

China’s president Xi Jinping (AP)

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern urged China’s president Xi Jinping to use his “influence” over North Korea and raised concerns about tensions in the Taiwan strait on the sidelines of the Apec summit in Bangkok on Saturday.

Ms Ardern “recorded New Zealand’s concerns regarding Xinjiang, Hong Kong, the South China Sea and, in more recent times, the Taiwan strait”, an official statement from her government said.

She also “encouraged China to use its influence and access to help address regional and international security challenges such as the DPRK and Ukraine”.