WELLINGTON, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters on Monday announced the appointment of Andrew Robinson as the new consul-general in China's economic hub of Shanghai and Stephen Wong as the new consul-general in Chengdu of southwest China.

Robinson will be responsible for relationships with Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, as well as Shanghai, which together make up a critical economic region with a population of more than 180 million people, Peters said in a statement.

"New Zealand's relationship with China is one of our most significant, with extensive political, economic and personal links and exchanges," Peters said, adding that Shanghai is home to the largest New Zealand business community in China, and is a vital market for New Zealand exports, tourism and education.

Robinson is currently a Lead Advisor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, working on New Zealand's preparation for hosting APEC in 2021, and was previously part of the leadership group for New Zealand's UN Security Council term. He is a Mandarin speaker who has previously served at the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing, according to Peters.

Wong will advance New Zealand's engagement in the provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou as well as Chongqing Municipality, areas experiencing rapid growth with a combined population of 200 million, Peters said.

New Zealand was among the first group of countries in the world to open a diplomatic post in Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan, in 2014, and the Consulate is one of three in the Chinese mainland supporting the embassy in Beijing, said the foreign minister.