No hard feelings over Norman protest - Chinese VP

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key meets with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Photo / NZPA

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping was quick to thank New Zealand last night for its hospitality on his visit last month and said he had put the protest by Green Party co-leader Russel Norman behind him.

Prime Minister John Key met Mr Xi last night in Beijing.

At the start of the meeting, which media were only allowed to attend for the first five minutes, Mr Xi thanked New Zealand for its hospitality.

He did not mention the scuffle Chinese officials had with Dr Norman, who was holding a Tibetan flag, on the forecourt of Parliament when the MP tried to enter the building.

"Once again I would like to thank you, Mr Prime Minister, and the Government and people of New Zealand for your professional hospitality," Mr Xi said.

Mr Key said he mentioned the topic later in the meeting and while he did not apologise for New Zealanders' right to protest, he expressed regret that Mr Xi was not able to enter the building unimpeded.

He said Mr Xi had left with a good impression of New Zealand.

Mr Key told him there had been a review of the incident and the rules had been clarified to prevent it happening again.

"I made it quite clear to him actually that New Zealand reserves the right to protest and he indicated to me that he accepted that, understood that and acknowledged that that was part of the New Zealand way of life."

Mr Key told Mr Xi a person of his seniority should be able to enter and exit a building.

Mr Xi told him he had put the issue behind him and was pleased that steps had been taken to prevent it again.

Mr Key invited him back to New Zealand.

"He's the person who is earmarked to be the next president of China, so he's potentially in a hugely powerful position and if he was the president of China we would obviously love to have him back on New Zealand shores."

The rest of the meeting largely followed Mr Key's meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao earlier in the day.

Mr Key has said he wanted to double New Zealand's two-way trade with China over the next five years.

"I presented the ambitious goal of trying to double our two-way trade by 2015 and Premier Wen thought that was achievable and something they were prepared to support," he told journalists following the meeting in the Great Hall of the People.

Two-way trade between China and New Zealand was worth $10 billion last year. Of that $6 billion was Chinese exports to New Zealand.

The two-year review of the FTA would be discussed when the two leaders next met for the East Asian Summit in Vietnam later this year.

This morning Mr Key saw off the New Zealand team taking part in the Beijing to Paris Rally.

The 45-day trip crosses 12 countries.

Ten New Zealanders, in five four-wheel-drive vehicles, will depart from the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing today.

Mr Key now flies to Shanghai.

- NZPA