New Zealand Prime Minister John Key is meeting President Xi Jinping at an economic forum in China on Sunday.
Mr Key is at the Boao Forum for Asia which is promoting economic integration in the region. He will be one of a number of world leaders meeting the new president at the event in Hainan.
Mr Key is leading a New Zealand trade mission to China, aimed at boosting trade, education and tourism opportunities.
The prime minister has met Mr Xi before: in China on previous visits and when Mr Xi came to New Zealand in 2010 while he was vice president.
Mr Key earlier said that having already established a relationship with Mr Xi puts New Zealand in a good place to strengthen its relations with China.
A meeting with new premier Li Keqiang will take place later in the week.
President Xi delivers first speech to an international forum
President Xi, in his first address to a major international forum, said he wanted his nation to focus on peace, stability and prosperity.
President Xi said the world was undergoing a "profound readjustment" following the global economic crisis.
He said China was committed to ensuring its own growth and development benefited other parts of the world.
"The road ahead remains a bumpy and twisted one," he said.
"Asia needs to transform and upgrade its development model in keeping with the trend of he times."
AAP reports that while not directly referring to North Korea, President Xi said friction among nations was "inevitable", but China was committed to upholding peace through dialogue and peaceful negotiation.
