New Zealand’s foreign minister has defended herself against accusations of complacency in the wake of China’s dramatic push for greater influence in the Pacific region, saying New Zealand does “not need to be reactive to any other agenda from any other country”.
In the immediate aftermath of China’s attempt to sign 10 Pacific Island countries up to a sweeping regional security deal that appeared to catch the west off guard, and its announcement of bilateral deals with Solomon Islands, Samoa and Kiribati, the government has faced criticism from former diplomats and opposition politicians that it has been missing in action.
