Peters' first steps as Foreign Minister may surprise

Winston Peters is concerned about the decline in the number of Chinese students in New Zealand. Herald file picture

Foreign Minister Winston Peters is concerned about the decline in the number of Chinese students in New Zealand and will discuss the issue with China in one of his first overseas meetings in the new job.

Mr Peters arrives for the Apec (Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation) meeting in Pusan, South Korea, today along with Trade Ministers Phil Goff and Jim Sutton.

The New Zealand First leader has a popular image of being anti-immigration and in particular anti-Asian immigration, but he says this is misconstrued and is concerned about the decline in the number of Chinese students studying English in New Zealand over the past few years.

The collapse of some English language schools had been one of the factors behind the decline and Mr Peters was concerned that "New Zealand could do better".

"There was an irresponsible side of capitalism on export education... I regard that as a lessening of the obligation to China which we promised. I don't blame the Government for that. This was an industry that called for these changes, I think with hindsight... we could have monitored their performance more closely," he said.

Mr Peters says he helped to broker deals to bring more Chinese students to New Zealand and part of the agreement was to ensure the students returned home at the end of their studies and New Zealand had fallen down on its part of the bargain.

The failure of English language schools in New Zealand may have been the fault of the businesses, but Mr Peters says the Chinese would have seen this differently.

"A country like China sees that as a governmental obligation, not purely just an industry obligation."

Opposition MPs have questioned how Mr Peters will represent New Zealand in forums like Apec because while Mr Peters is the foreign minister, he remains in opposition to the government on all issues outside his ministerial positions.

One of these concerns is that Mr Peters' party opposes a free trade deal with China that the government is negotiating.

Trade is a large part of the Apec agenda and New Zealand's ongoing trade talks with China are almost certain to come up in talks that Mr Peters, Mr Goff and Mr Sutton hold at Apec.

Mr Goff and Mr Sutton hold the trade portfolios, but Mr Peters said this will not stop him raising trade-related issues in his talks.

Mr Peters said he was not against free trade deals, but was against trade deficits with other countries.

"I'd like to talk to the Chinese and I am sure that they'll respect that, talking about how we might address this imbalance ($2 billion trade deficit), that is a legitimate issue of discussion. I have no doubt in my mind the Chinese with the wisdom and intelligence they've got will be fully expecting that to happen."

While some fear his talks with Asian leaders will be coloured by his strong stance on immigration, Mr Peters disagrees and says China's immigration policy is more rigid.

Ministers of 21 Pacific rim nations meet on November 15 and 16 before the start of the leaders' meeting on November 18 in the Korean port town of Pusan.

- NZPA