Abstract
In 2017 the People’s Republic of China (PRC) became New Zealand’s largest trading partner. New Zealand’s economic prosperity is now closely linked to China, and the same goes for New Zealand’s other major trading partners Australia, the USA, and Japan. Yet New Zealand-China relations have been under pressure in recent years, as have New Zealand-US relations. This has been the case particularly since 2012, when Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping came to power. Under Xi, the PRC has adopted an assertive foreign policy that poses some strategic challenges to New Zealand—as well as its traditional allies.
An earlier version of this chapter was published as Anne-Marie Brady, “China 2.0, and the Challenges it Poses to New Zealand,” Noted, 19 November 2018, https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/politics/anne-marie-brady-xi-jinping-china-challenge-to-nz/.
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Notes
- 1.
Audrey Young, “Coleman on ‘Rebalancing’ Visit to China,” NZ Herald, 28 November 2013, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11163835.
- 2.
This section draws on Brady (2017a).
- 3.
Claire Trevett, “Li Yuanchao: Why China Wants NZ Land,” NZ Herald, 25 October 2015, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11534966.
- 4.
“Lower Chinese Milk Production Good for New Zealand: Analyst”, Radio New Zealand, 7 July 2017, https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/country/334643/lower-chinese-milk-production-good-for-nz-analyst.
- 5.
“NZ at Heart of Panama Money-go Round,” RNZ National, 9 May 2016, http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/panama-papers/303356/nz-at-heart-of-panama-money-go-round.
- 6.
See Hayman (2010).
- 7.
See Brady (2002).
- 8.
Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence (1986), p. 8.
- 9.
- 10.
McKinnon (1990), pp. 231–232.
- 11.
McKinnon (1990), p. 232.
- 12.
“China: Bilateral Exchanges in 1976,” 30 October 1975, PM 59/264/1 part 1, National Archives.
- 13.
Report of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, “Inquiry into the New Zealand-China Relationship,” 2nd Session, 41st Parliament, 1986, 23.
- 14.
“Notes from R.D. Muldoon, Prime Minister, meeting with Deng Xiaoping,” 13 September 1980, 59/264/11, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Archives (hereafter MFAT Archives).
- 15.
Lindsay Watt, interview, 21 January 1993.
- 16.
Report of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, “New Zealand-China Relationship,” 94.
- 17.
Report of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, “New Zealand-China Relationship,” 95.
- 18.
NZ Embassy Beijing, Discussion paper, 17 August 1989, 82/1/1 Volume 12, MFAT Archives.
- 19.
I have described this elsewhere as the “collapse thesis”, see Brady (2008b), p. 200.
- 20.
Memo, NZ Embassy Beijing-MFAT, 29 October 1992, 82/1/1 Volume 12, MFAT Archives.
- 21.
Memo, NZ Embassy Washington-MFAT, 11 November 1992, 82/1/1 Volume 12, MFAT Archives.
- 22.
Memo, NZ Embassy Beijing-MFAT, 8 March 1991, 7–8, 82/1/1 Volume 12, MFAT Archives.
- 23.
“Taiwan Information Paper,” April 1996, 84/1/18 part 2, MFAT Archives.
- 24.
“China-US and New Zealand Interests,” 17 February 1995, 84/12/1 part 3, MFAT Archives.
- 25.
“Greater China: Review of Representation Five Years Out,” 15 September 1993, 58/264/1 part 43; “China-US and New Zealand Interests,” February 17, 1995; 84/12/1 part3; “A New Zealand Strategy for China,” August 21, 1996, 58/264/1 volume 39; “New Zealand and China: Looking Ahead,” 1996, 58/264/1 volume 40; New Zealand Embassy, Beijing, “China: High Level Contact,” January 13, 1997, 58/264/1 volume 41; MFAT Archives.
- 26.
Charlotte Denny and Jonathan Freedland, “New Zealand Warns on ‘Law of the Jungle,’” The Guardian, 3 May 2003.
- 27.
“New Zealand Aims to Conclude FTA Talks with China First,” People’s Daily, 31 May 2005, http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200505/31/eng20050531_187594.html.
- 28.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2004).
- 29.
John Wood, “New Zealand Trade Policy. Small is…Difficult,” (lecture, POLS 308 New Zealand Foreign Policy, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, May 18, 2018).
- 30.
Ross Kendall, “Economic Linkages between New Zealand and China,” Reserve Bank of New Zealand Analytical Notes Series (October 2014), 1.
- 31.
See Paul Sinclair (former head of the NZ Defence Force’s International Defence Relations), New Zealand Expands Defence Ties with China, Strategic Background Paper no. 18 (Wellington: Centre for Strategic Studies, 2014), http://www.victoria.ac.nz/hppi/centres/strategic-studies/documents/18_New-Zealand-Expands-Defence-Ties-with-China.pdf.
- 32.
“China, New Zealand Vow to Further Promote Strategic Relations,” Xinhua, 22 July 2015, http://english.chinamil.com.cn/news-channels/today-headlines/2015-07/22/content_6596354.htm.
- 33.
See New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre (2015).
- 34.
Bill English cited in NZ China Council “Prime Minister Bill English: What I Hope to Achieve for the NZ China Relationship,” (video), posted 2 August 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5CcyCeFPgk.
- 35.
Audrey Young, “Megaphone Diplomacy not the New Zealand Way Says Outgoing Foreign Minister,” New Zealand Herald, 4 April 2017, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11831755.
- 36.
“Xinxilan huaren yiyuan Yang Jian: “Zuo hao mei yi jian shi, jihui jiu lai zhao ni,” Gongren Ribao, 29 August 2013, http://character.workercn.cn/c/2013/08/29/130829075919750972761.html.
- 37.
Brady (2017a).
- 38.
Matt Nippert, “GCSB and SIS Table China’s Influence at Five Eyes Meeting,” NZ Herald, 13 December 2017, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11958648.
- 39.
“Ardern Reaffirms Ban on Foreign Buyers as Winston Declares ‘NZ is No Longer for Sale,’” 1 News, 24 October 2017, https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/ardern-reaffirms-ban-foreign-buyers-winston-declares-nz-no-longer-sale.
- 40.
“Q&A: Prime Minister Elect Jacinda Ardern,” Scoop, 22 October 2017, http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1710/S00179/qa-prime-minister-elect-jacinda-ardern.htm.
- 41.
- 42.
“Labour ‘Not Reading Into’ Poll Surge,” Radio New Zealand, 20 February 2018, http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018632813/ardern-not-reading-into-labour-s-poll-surge.
- 43.
“Huawei 5G Decision: Everything you need to know,” Radio New Zealand, 30 November 2018, https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/377136/huawei-5g-decision-everything-you-need-to-know.
- 44.
“Chinese Hacking “No Surprise”—Andrew Little,” Radio New Zealand, 21 December 2018, https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/378773/chinese-hacking-no-surprise-andrew-little.
- 45.
MFAT, “Strategic Intentions, 2018–2022,” https://www.mfat.govt.nz/assets/MFAT-Corporate-publications/MFAT-Strategic-Intentions-2018-2022.pdf.
- 46.
See Brady (2017b).
- 47.
Winston Peters, “First Steps,” (pre-budget speech, 8 May 2018), https://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/first-steps.
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Brady, AM. (2019). A Strategic Partnership: New Zealand-China Relations in the Xi Jinping Era and Beyond. In: Brady, AM. (eds) Small States and the Changing Global Order. The World of Small States, vol 6. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18803-0_8
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