New Zealand remains committed to its no-participation policy in the AUKUS trilateral defense alliance formed by Australia, the UK and the US. This was announced on February 7 by New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins at a joint press conference with his counterpart from Australia, where the head of the New Zealand government arrived on his first working visit. Note that on January 25, Chris Hipkins became the 41st Prime Minister of New Zealand. He clarified that Australia, the US and the UK remain important security partners for the New Zealand state, but his country wants to maintain its nuclear-free status.
“China is an incredibly important partner for New Zealand, a very important trading partner and also a partner in other areas. This does not mean that there will not be areas in which we disagree from time to time, and we will continue to voice our differences with China when it does, but we will always continue to strive to strengthen this ongoing relationship,” the premier said . minister of New Zealand.
New Zealand’s newly inaugurated Prime Minister also said that his country is currently undergoing quite a significant transformation in the field of defense and is investing heavily in the defense industry.
New Zealand, despite the absence of significant armed forces and military dependence on London, Washington and Canberra, continues to adhere to public neutrality in the brewing regional conflict of the Anglo-Saxon political coalition with China expanding its influence. If it joins the same bloc with the United States, Wellington risks suffering from Beijing’s retaliatory measures, which could hit the economy of the island nation. Therefore, the policy of non-intervention remains the only way that allows this country not to spoil relations with any of the external partners.
source: gosrf
