PM to visit Malaysia and Republic of Korea

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to Malaysia and to the Republic of Korea from Sunday for high-level talks aimed at strengthening New Zealand's ties across the Indo-Pacific.

"Next week, I'll attend both the East Asia Summit and APEC with the goal of deepening our relationships with regional leaders and unlocking new opportunities for New Zealand," Mr Luxon says.

"New Zealand's security and prosperity go hand-in-hand, a situation which plays out profoundly in the Indo-Pacific.

"It's also the world's most economically dynamic region with nine of our top ten trading partners in the Indo-Pacific.

"That's why building strong, effective partnerships across the region is a top priority for this government."

Prime Minister Luxon will attend the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Malaysia and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting in Korea - two influential forums that together represent around 60 per cent of the global economy and over 70 per cent of New Zealand's international trade.

In Malaysia, Mr Luxon will also co-host a leaders' summit with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries: the ASEAN-New Zealand Commemorative Summit. He will also host events to mark a milestone 50 years of dialogue relations between New Zealand and ASEAN.

Minister of State for Trade and Investment Hon Nicola Grigg will accompany the Prime Minister to Malaysia. Minister for Customs Hon Casey Costello and Minister for Trade and Investment Hon Todd McClay will accompany him in Korea.