The government has defended taking a back up plane part of the way for the Prime Minister's trip to China.
Chris Hipkins has arrived in Beijing for a jam packed week of talks, including with President Xi Jinping.
He and his contingent travelled on an Airforce 757 and stopped to refuel in Cairns and Manila. A second plane followed the first for the refueling stops, and will now head back to Cairns.
Our political editor Jane Patterson is in Beijing and joins us now.
