Speaking at the China Business Summit in Auckland on Monday, the prime minister said she was planning a trip to China “to seize new opportunities for dialogue”, support the trade relationship and further cooperate on the climate crisis. “Even as China becomes more assertive in pursuing its interests, there are still common interests on which we can and should work together,” he said. The prime minister’s speech comes at a tense time for the Indo-Pacific, with Western allies worried about China’s push for influence, particularly its proposed regional security pact in the Pacific. Ardern called on Beijing to respect and support institutions that she said undermine regional and international peace and stability. Both New Zealand and China have been “big beneficiaries of relative peace, stability and prosperity … The rules, regulations and institutions, such as the United Nations, that are based on that stability and prosperity remain essential,” Ardern said. , but also “threatened”. “We see how much we have to lose if the system based on international rules falters,” he said. The speech was closely tied to the foreign policy party line of Ardern’s second government. The policy has emphasized “respect, consistency and predictability” in dealings with China: essentially, that the government will continue to cooperate and work closely with China on mutually beneficial issues, particularly trade, while pointing out differences – usually in foreign policy and people. rights. This balancing act has, at times, been difficult to manage. New Zealand remains highly dependent on China for trade – the country is its largest trading partner, accounting for 23% of total trade and 32% of goods exports. But as China’s economic importance to New Zealand has grown, ideological differences with Beijing have become increasingly stark, with reports of serious human rights abuses in Xinjiang, Beijing’s push into the Pacific and the South China Sea, and the erosion of democracy in Hong Kong. “In response to rising tensions or risks in the region – whether in the Pacific, the South China Sea or the Taiwan Strait – New Zealand’s position remains consistent – we call for adherence to international rules and norms. for diplomacy, de-escalation and dialogue, not threats, violence and coercion,” Ardern said. “Our differences don’t have to define us. But we cannot ignore them. This will mean that we will continue to speak openly about certain issues – sometimes with others and sometimes alone,” he said. “We did that recently for issues in the Pacific. We have also consistently raised our concerns about economic coercion, human rights, Xinjiang and Hong Kong.” One of the Prime Minister’s main examples of undermining institutions and norms was Putin’s war in Ukraine, and she called on China to “be clear that it does not support the Russian invasion” and “use its access and influence to help end it.” in the conflict”. In the past year, the Pacific has become an arena of wider geopolitical competition: with increasing interest from China, the US is also trying to strengthen its connections and alliances in the region. After Ardern’s speech on Monday, the US Pacific commander said he wanted to expand and strengthen ties with New Zealand. Admiral John Aquilino, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, was in Wellington to meet with top New Zealand defense and government officials. “Our partnership runs very deep,” Aquilino said. “We are doing many things together to continue to ensure peace and prosperity for both our nations and for all nations in the region.” He said Australia and New Zealand’s leadership in the Pacific was “critical”. In June, the US signed Partners in the Blue Pacific, a cooperation agreement between Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the UK and the US. “The United States has been a Pacific nation all our lives. We will continue to operate in the Pacific whatever else you may hear,” Aquilino said.
