Dutch royal couple to visit New Zealand in November
Xinhua, August 8, 2016 Adjust font size:
His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands will make the state visit from Nov. 7 to 9, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said Monday.
"I am delighted to welcome King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima to New Zealand on their first official state visit as King and Queen," Key said in a statement.
"Our close relationship with the Netherlands dates back to Abel Tasman's sighting of New Zealand in 1642, and we are lucky to have many Dutch migrants living here who greatly enhance our society and economy," said Key.
The royal couple would be accompanied by Foreign Minister Bert Koenders and, parallel to the state visit, a trade mission led by Minister for Economic Affairs Henk Kamp would take place.
While it would their first official state visit as king and queen, the couple visited in November 2006, before the investiture of King Willem-Alexander in 2013. Enditem