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Heightened diplomatic sensitivity is preventing Prime Minister Helen Clark from confirming she will be in China in less than a fortnight for the signing of a historic free trade agreement with that country.
The Prime Minister flies to Europe next Monday to start a trip which is expected to culminate with the signing of the trade agreement in Beijing on her way home in the second week of April.
But yesterday Helen Clark was unable to even confirm she would be going to Beijing - and it is believed that the late uncertainty is because of sensitivity about New Zealand making announcements before the Chinese Government is completely ready.
"There are still matters to be settled," Helen Clark said of the free trade agreement.
"That's why at this point I haven't confirmed attendance, because everything I have said to you and publicly has been around making contingency arrangements should everything come together."
At this point she had no reason to believe it would not all come together.
"All the bookings are made."
Often when the Prime Minister embarks on an overseas trip, New Zealand media accompanying her know in advance much of her planned itinerary. In the case of the Chinese visit, there is little confirmed information available yet - but the Government is keen to make it clear that does not mean the deal is in trouble.
A government source told the Herald last night that as far as New Zealand was concerned, everything was on track.
"But it has to be choreographed between here and Beijing. These are very elaborate arrangements and they cannot be unilaterally announced by New Zealand."
New Zealand's relations with the Chinese Government have been in the headlines recently because of international outrage about a Chinese crackdown on unrest in Tibet.
Helen Clark and other local politicians have spoken of their concern at what has been happening in Tibet and New Zealand's ambassador in China raised the issue with officials there.
Asked yesterday if those comments could potentially have led to a problem around the trade agreement, Helen Clark said her understanding was that "no link whatsoever has been made".
"It's my experience that human rights representations are always strongly pushed back on, so you would expect that to be the case," she said.
Asked directly whether there was a chance she would not go to China, the Prime Minister said if there was a trade agreement to be concluded and signed "I would expect to be there".
