New Zealand Finance Minister Nicola Willis stated that New Zealand believes it should be exempt from any comprehensive tariffs that may be imposed after Trump takes office, and has instructed officials to clarify this view.

Willis said in an interview in Wellington on Thursday, "Our initial position is please don't do this. Our mission to diplomats is to make New Zealand show its absolute best side

Although from Washington's perspective, New Zealand is only a small trading partner, the United States is New Zealand's second largest export market.

The reason why Trump imposed tariffs began with the fact that the United States imports more than it exports, resulting in a trade deficit. But Willis said that the trade relationship between the United States and New Zealand is "quite balanced" and has grown significantly in recent years.

In the year ending in September, New Zealand exported NZD 15.8 billion ($9 billion) worth of goods and services to the United States and imported NZD 11.3 billion from the United States. Although some tariffs are imposed, the magnitude is relatively small. For example, the current tariff on New Zealand beef exports to the United States is less than 1%.

Willis said that Americans like the products we sell, they like our wine, and they like our dairy products. We believe that given the strong partnership between our two countries over the years, this relationship is entirely justified. "

She said that the United States also has dozens of trade relations around the world, and I don't think anyone would have noticed when they first took office that New Zealand was the most obvious one they were concerned about.

When asked what New Zealand would do if the new US government imposed tariffs on its goods (if any), Willis refused to speculate.

She said, "We currently do not have a detailed understanding of how they choose to implement their own tariff system. Of course, our diplomats are considering various situations, but as I have said, we have a very strong, close, and valuable relationship with the United States, and we will always strive to continue building this relationship to achieve mutual value

The last thing Willis needs is a blow to trade, as she is trying to lift the economy out of recession and restore the government's books to surplus.

The Ministry of Finance will release a semi annual economic and fiscal update next week, which is expected to show weaker growth and larger deficits than previously predicted, as well as a later recovery of surplus than the 2028 forecast in the May budget.

Willis refused to disclose the fiscal outlook, but acknowledged that the government may have to increase borrowing. She said, "We will update the bond issuance plan in the semi annual update, and when government revenue falls relative to the forecast, more borrowing may be needed. This is the main driving force behind our efforts to restore balance to the books

In addition, the New Zealand government is planning to modify its so-called 'golden visa' program to attract more affluent immigrants to invest in New Zealand.

The Active Investor Plus Visa has always attracted wealthy people to New Zealand, bringing an average of NZD 1 billion ($580 million) annually, but it has been sluggish since the rule changes in 2022.

According to data from the New Zealand Immigration Department, only 35 applications have been fully approved in the past two years, equivalent to a nominated investment fund of NZD 352 million.

We realize that the previous government changed these settings, and we have seen a significant decrease in the number of investors, "Willis said on Thursday You can look forward to seeing our announcements in this area in the coming weeks.