New Zealand’s new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he won’t back away from criticizing China where necessary, as the new leader works to balance economic and diplomatic relations with his largest trading partner.
(Bloomberg) — New Zealand’s new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he won’t back away from criticizing China where necessary, as the new leader works to balance economic and diplomatic relations with his largest trading partner.
Hipkins traveled to Australia on Tuesday to meet with Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for the first time since coming to power. He was sworn in as prime minister in late January following the resignation of former leader Jacinda Ardern.
At a press conference in Canberra, Hipkins said China was a “very important” trading partner for New Zealand but added 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.
Albanese echoed Hipkins’ comments saying that 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 US. In recent years, the New Zealand government has struggled to balance its allies’ security concerns around the Chinese government, with its own significant economic interests.
Hipkins had earlier said a visit to China was high on his priority list ahead of the October New Zealand election.
Asked in Canberra whether or not New Zealand was still interested in being part of the AUKUS security partnership, currently between Australia, the US and the UK, Hipkins said his government’s position hadn’t changed from Ardern’s.
“The Australian, the US, the UK are incredibly important security partners for New Zealand,” he said. “But our nuclear free policy hasn’t changed.”
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