RNZ reports China gifted the MA-60 plane to Tonga in 2012, and New Zealand responded by halting tourism aid funding and discouraging tourists to fly on the plane, which was used for domestic flights.
New Zealand has argued the plane was never properly certified, a point Tongan authorities disagreed on, saying China had guaranteed the type certification.
'Akilisi Pohiva says Tonga doesn't have the technical know-how, but New Zealand and China could easily work together to solve the problem.
