CANBERRA – New Zealand’s new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he will not back away from criticising China where necessary, as he works to balance economic and diplomatic relations with his country’s largest trading partner.
He travelled to Australia on Tuesday to meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for the first time since coming to power. Mr Hipkins was sworn in as prime minister in late January after the resignation of former leader Jacinda Ardern.
At a press conference in Canberra, Mr Hipkins said China was a “very important” trading partner for New Zealand, but added that there were areas where the two governments “disagree from time to time”.
“We’ll continue to voice our disagreements with China when that happens,” he said.
Mr Albanese echoed Mr Hipkins’ comments, saying Australia would cooperate with China “where we can” but disagree with them “where we must”. “We’ll engage in our national interest,” he said.
China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner by a wide margin, far above Australia and the United States. In recent years, the New Zealand government has struggled to balance its allies’ security concerns about the Chinese government with its own significant economic interests.
Mr Hipkins had earlier said that a visit to China was high on his priority list ahead of New Zealand’s October election.
Asked in Canberra if New Zealand was still interested in becoming part of the Aukus security partnership between Australia, the US and the United Kingdom, Mr Hipkins said his government’s position had not changed from Ms Ardern’s.
He said Australia, the US and UK “are incredibly important security partners for New Zealand”.
“But our nuclear-free policy hasn’t changed,” he said.
Mr Albanese said further details about the shape of the Aukus submarine deal – which will see Australia buying nuclear-powered submarines from the US and UK – would be announced soon, after Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles recently met his counterpart in Washington.
“I’m very confident with how Aukus is proceeding, it’s a positive move,” said Mr Albanese. BLOOMBERG
