New Zealand has stepped up its interest in joining the non-nuclear pillar of Aukus, amid China’s growing presence in the Pacific and broader concerns over a “reshaped world”.
New Zealand’s foreign minister Winston Peters – also a deputy prime minister – and the defence minister, Judith Collins, travelled to Melbourne to meet with their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles, for the inaugural “2+2” Australia and New Zealand foreign and defence ministers’ meeting on Thursday.
Talks between the countries focused on approaches to foreign policy, security and defence, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
In a joint press conference, defence minister Marles announced an Australian delegation would travel to New Zealand “very shortly” to brief officials on the second pillar of the Aukus pact – a security partnership between Australia, the UK, and US prompted by China’s growing influence in the region, and which is centred on the Australian navy receiving nuclear-powered submarines.
The second “pillar” of Aukus covers the sharing of advanced military technologies, including quantum computing and artificial intelligence. New Zealand has not been offered the chance to join pillar one, nor would it accept, due to its anti-nuclear position.
Peters said that discussions taking place between the two countries in the current global climate were “of far greater acuity and importance than it’s ever been in the lifetime of anybody in this room”.
In 2022, China struck a security pact with Solomon Islands, alarming Washington and Canberra. In January, the Pacific nation of Nauru switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China, and this week, Papua New Guinea’s foreign minister, Justin Tkatchenko, confirmed the country was in early talks with Beijing on a potential security and policing deal.
Collins hoped Australian officials would travel to New Zealand for an Aukus briefing “as soon as possible”.
“We really want to look at what the opportunities are and whether or not its something we could be part of,” Collins said, adding that New Zealand could offer space and technology expertise.
The ministers hoped to increase “interoperability” and “interchangeability” between the two countries’ defence forces, making it easier for forces to operate alongside each other and exchange similarly trained personnel and equipment.
When asked if joining Aukus – which China has labelled a cold war-era pact that would be dangerous for the region – could sour the relationship with New Zealand’s biggest trading partner, Peters said: “China is a country that practises something I have got a lot of time for – they practise their national interest … and that’s what we’re doing”.
The Chinese embassy in Wellington also issued a statement on Friday saying: “Like all peace-loving countries, China has serious concerns over Aukus.”
“It is hoped that relevant countries will cherish the hard-won environment for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, and be prudent with their words and action,” the statement added.
An editorial published by China Daily, the English-language official state mouthpiece of Beijing, warned that New Zealand was risking its relationship with China.
“Whatever role New Zealand is being solicited to play in joining Aukus, it would no doubt cast a shadow on bilateral ties and even offset what has been achieved in advancing bilateral cooperation,” it said.
Wellington has historically taken a more conciliatory approach towards China than Australia or its other Five Eyes security partners, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.
But in recent years, New Zealand has become increasingly vocal on issues including human rights, the international rules-based order and potential militarisation of the Pacific. In 2022, China’s activities in the region prompted New Zealand to begin developing its own maritime security “work plans” with Solomon Islands and in 2023, signed a defence agreement with Fiji to strengthen military training and maritime security.
Speaking to SkyNews on Thursday Peters said there had been “external interest” in the Pacific because countries with traditional interests had “neglected” the region.
“When you have a vacuum being formed, it will be filled,” Peters said.
New Zealand seeks to be a positive influence in the Pacific and to treat its neighbours “as equals”, he said.
During the joint press conference, Australia’s foreign affairs minister Wong stressed the importance of Australia and New Zealand’s relationship at a time when the world is being “reshaped”.
“We often speak about having come to this government at a time of the most difficult or challenging strategic circumstances since the second world war – I think we do live in times where the world, the region, is being reshaped,” she said, adding that Australia and New Zealand has a role in ensuring peace, stability and prosperity within the region.
