Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (2nd R) and then New Zealand Prime Minister John Key (3rd R) attend a signing ceremony of bilateral cooperation agreements after their talks in Beijing, capital of China, April 18, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is scheduled to arrive in New Zealand Sunday for an official visit.

Since China and New Zealand established diplomatic ties on Dec. 22, 1972, their bilateral relations have been improving steadily with frequent high-level exchanges. The following is a chronology of such exchanges and the many "firsts" in China-New Zealand ties since 1972:

In late April to early May of 1976, then New Zealand Prime Minister Robert Muldoon visited China.

In September 1980, Muldoon again visited China.

In April 1985, Hu Yaobang, then secretary general of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), paid a visit to New Zealand.

In March 1986, then New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange visited China.

In November 1988, then Chinese Premier Li Peng visited New Zealand.

In May 1993, then New Zealand Prime Minister James Brendan Bolger visited China.

In November 1997, Bolger again visited China and attended the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In September 1999, then Chinese President Jiang Zemin paid a state visit to New Zealand, the first such visit by a Chinese president. Both countries hailed the development of their ties and vowed to establish long-term, stable and all-round cooperation toward the 21st century.

In April 2001, then New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark visited China and held talks with Chinese senior officials on issues of common concern.

In October 2003, then Chinese President Hu Jintao paid a state visit to New Zealand and held talks with senior New Zealand officials on issues of common concern. The two countries reached consensus on boosting bilateral ties and signed several cooperation documents.

In April 2004, New Zealand recognized China's market economy status, becoming the first developed country to treat China as a full market economy in trade.

In April 2006, then Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited New Zealand. The two countries vowed to make joint efforts to further bilateral relations.

In April 2008, Clark again visited China and signed the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Chinese government.

In April 2009, then New Zealand Prime Minister John Key paid an official visit to China. Both countries pledged to jointly cope with the global financial crisis.

In June 2010, then Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visited New Zealand and held talks with Key. The two sides agreed to boost ties through practical cooperation.

In April 2013, Key visited China and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.

In November 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited New Zealand. The two countries elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

In April 2016, then New Zealand Prime Minister John Key visited China. The two countries pledged to further expand the bilateral trade and promote the negotiation on upgrading their free trade agreement (FTA). Enditem