Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to media in South Korea where he has been attending economic summits.
Luxon earlier met with South Korea President Lee Jae Myung.
Luxon said trade between New Zealand and South Korea had doubled since the FTA (free trade agreement) was signed 10 years ago, and the country was now New Zealand's fifth biggest trading partner.
He was excited to take that relationship further by entering into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with South Korea.
US President Donald Trump and China President Xi Jinping also met in South Korea, which Luxon called "very positive".
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung welcomes Christopher Luxon and US President Donald Trump. Photo: AFP
He echoed remarks from Xi that tensions between the two biggest economies were "inevitable".
"It's perfectly reasonable to have that position," Luxon said.
Speaking to reporters in Gyeongju, Luxon said it was good the two leaders had committed to meeting again in April, and any conversation between the leaders of the largest economies in the world is good.
"The more those leaders are talking together, the more they are planning on moving this thing forward, and ... that they can de-escalate those tensions - that is of the benefit to all of us," Luxon said.
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