NZ urged to 'tread carefully' with Pacific family over US-China crisis

Wednesday, 3 August 2022

The prime minister says New Zealand has been a significant presence in the Pacific for years and will continue to be one.

New Zealanders are being urged to tread carefully when it comes to discussing geopolitical issues with Pasifika whānau, a defence expert says.

The advice comes as those across the Pacific and abroad watch as China's influence in the region grows.

There’s also been fierce debate about climate change, Covid-19 and the rising cost of living – impacted mainly by the global pandemic since March 2020.

Defence expert Dr Paul Buchanan’s advice comes as conversations about China’s reach across the Pacific become more prevalent.

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Defence analyst Paul Buchanan says New Zealand must respect its Pacific whānau.

“No government likes to be told what or how to do things. Neither does New Zealand, so we shouldn’t be telling or trying to tell our neighbours how they should or should not act,” said the director of 36th Parallel – a geopolitical risk and strategic consultancy group.

Buchanan’s comments come amid a United States-China fallout over what the Americans and their allies, New Zealand and Australia, claim is “Beijing’s push for greater power, presence and influence in the Pacific”.

The relationship between Washington and Beijing came to a head in May when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi embarked on a 10-nation tour of the Pacific with trade and security on his agenda. The Solomon Islands signed a security deal with China, much to the disappointment of the Americans, Kiwis and Aussies.

Since Wang’s visit, several US officials have headed Down Under. New Zealand and Australia also sent diplomatic delegations to the recent Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Fiji.

US Speaker Nancy Pelosi is in Taiwan, and the world is now bracing for China's response. President Xi Jinping reportedly told his US counterpart, Joe Biden, during a phone call last week that “whoever plays with fire will get burnt” in reference to Taiwan which China regards as its breakaway province.

White House Indo-Pacific co-ordinator Kurt Campbell said he expects more high-level US officials to visit the Pacific as “Washington steps up its engagement to counter China in the strategically important region”.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was in Samoa at the start of the week with a parliamentary and community delegation to mark the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship between the two countries. The celebrations also coincided with the opening of Samoa’s border on August 1 – one of the last countries in the region to reopen to the world.

While there, Ardern pledged $27 million to support Samoa’s climate change response, and rebuild Apia's Savalalo Market which was destroyed by a fire in 2016.

The parliamentary delegation – led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – touches down in Apia, Samoa on August 1.

Ardern said the relationship between the two nations hadn't been so friendly in the past, and New Zealand had to apologise for its treatment of Samoans.

Samoa experienced its most disastrous epidemic more than a century ago – the influenza pandemic – brought over by steamboat from Auckland which led to an official apology in 2002 by then PM Helen Clark. A year ago, another historic apology was delivered by Ardern for the 1970s Dawn Raids across Aotearoa.

Ardern said the talks with her Samoan counterpart, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, were 'very friendly and warm' and the discussions had taken place 'in that spirit that we are friends and neighbours'.

While he welcomed New Zealand’s efforts to support its Pacific neighbours, Buchanan said New Zealand can’t be seen to be dictating to its Pasifika friends.

“It’s a bit condescending and patronising for us to tell the island states what to do as if they were … children. And they’re not.

“Let the Pacific people make their own decisions and if it doesn’t work out, you never know, they may come and ask us for advice or for some form of help. But let them deal with these matters themselves.”

Buchanan also warned against New Zealand leaning too much towards the Australia and US-centric defence policy and direction in the southwest Pacific.

“We need to stick to our emphasis – not only on the Pacific as a community of neighbours and not adversaries, but also focus on non-traditional security concerns.

“When you hear what the Pacific Islanders are saying – that climate change is the number one security priority for them – we should listen to them. The US and Australia are not because they are so focused on China.”

A defence policy review is under way, launched on July 7, citing the Ministry of Defence’s assessment published last December which recommended a policy shift from “a reactive, risk management-centred approach to a more deliberate and proactive strategy”.

Defence Minister Peeni Henare had announced in December his three priorities for the agencies: People, infrastructure and the Pacific.

Henare said the Government wanted to ensure the Defence Force was “fit for purpose” in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, intensifying great power competition and escalating climate change.

Cabinet has sought a new policy and strategy statement from the defence agencies that is due in October, and “future force design principles” in April 2023 – with the terms of reference to include “what equipment is needed and the recruitment numbers?”

This review could “completely refocus” Aotearoa to engage more proactively in the Pacific region, Buchanan said. .

New Zealand Army chief Major-General John Boswell visited Fiji last month and praised the work of the Officer Cadet School (OCS) which had been in the Pacific nation since July 1 taking part in Exercise Veiliutaki.

Using the highlands to conduct close-country training with the Fiji military, 90 Kiwis, 72 locals and four international students from Tonga and Fiji worked together in fully integrated multinational platoons.

“We are two countries that have been through pretty tough times over the last couple of years and to have the opportunity now to re-engage, reconnect as militaries and renew our great partnership going back many years is one that’s welcomed,” Boswell said.