Trade pact is front page news

China's trade deal with New Zealand has made the front pages in Beijing.

Both the Mandarin language and English language papers have featured the story with the main English language paper China Daily leading with it on the front page.

Historic free trade pact inked, said the headline.

The article highlighted that the agreement was China's first with a developed nation and outlined details of the deal.

The editorial said China faced increasing protectionism from many countries who feared it as a global manufacturing power.

"Such a trend is detrimental to the growth of free trade around the world," the paper said.

None of the media mentioned Prime Minister Helen Clark raising concerns about China's human rights record or recent events in Tibet.

- NZPA