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All parties on Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy · Party position

National on Foreign Policy

Grow exports through new trade deals with more countries

National says New Zealand earns its living by selling goods and services overseas, and trade supports one in four NZ jobs. They have already signed a Free Trade Agreement with India and say exports have grown from $94.4 billion to $114.1 billion. They plan to start new trade negotiations with seven more countries in the next five years and want to double the value of New Zealand's exports by 2034.

What they say they'll do

  • Signed a Free Trade Agreement with India, now progressing through Parliament
  • Struck an Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies with Singapore as a template for future essential supplies agreements
  • Will commence trade negotiations with seven new economies in the next five years
  • Will complete at least 23 trade missions over the next term with measurable commercial outcomes
  • Will cut red tape by expanding paperless trade and digital customs, eliminating $1 billion in non-tariff barriers
  • Re-affirm commitment to doubling the value of exports by 2034

Who this affects

Exporters and Kiwi businesses
New trade deals and trade missions are intended to open more overseas markets for New Zealand businesses to sell into.
Workers in export industries
National says trade supports one in four New Zealand jobs, so expanding trade is presented as affecting employment and wages across sectors from farming to manufacturing.
General public
National frames higher export earnings as leading to more jobs, higher wages, and more money in people's pockets across communities.

In their own words

“Trade supports one in four New Zealand jobs and ultimately, more trade means higher wages, more jobs and more money in people's pockets.”
“National's trade agenda has supported rapid growth in exports, which have risen from $94.4 billion to $114.1 billion, on track to double export value by 2034.”
“Prioritising new trade deals with European, South American, African and Asian countries”
Verify at National — 2023 manifesto

Summarised neutrally from National’s own official policy (as at 2026-09-13) and checked by an editor. Nothing is paraphrased without the source linked. Read the original ↗ Arapono is non-partisan. Compare all parties on Foreign Policy →

In depth — from National’s policy document · 2026

New Zealand’s Next Billion Customers — the trade agenda

National proposes opening trade negotiations with seven new economies over five years, extending the essential-supplies agreement signed with Singapore to other partners, cutting border paperwork through paperless trade and digital customs, and giving New Zealand Trade and Enterprise a mandate to seek out opportunities rather than wait to be asked. It restates a target of doubling export value by 2034.

New negotiations
Seven economies
Those markets
~700m people
NZ exports there now
$1.8bn
Read the full breakdown5 sections · 2 quotes · 4 open questions

Coverage at a glance

Which party holds a published position on which topic.

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Swipe across to see all 11 topics — the party column stays put.

PartyEconomyHousingHealthEducationClimateEnvironmentCrime & JusticeTreaty & Māori AffairsImmigrationForeign PolicyDemocracy & Government
National
Published position∅ No stated position (verified) Not captured yet
Labour∅∅∅∅∅∅
Green
ACT
NZ First
Te Pāti Māori
TOP
Also contesting, without seats in Parliament
Women’s Rights
Animal Justice
ALCP
Conservative
Outdoors & Freedom
Vision NZ
Alliance
Free Palestine
NZ Loyal∅
Te Tai Tokerau∅