The hard questions on China we’re not asking
Query choices our key allies and top trading partner are wanting us to make, lest we make bad ones
Lastweek thenewparliament was able to ask the Government 36 oral questions and numerous supplementary questions. The Government was scrutinised on vital matters such as: “What recent announcements has shemadeabout the Milford Track?” Andlast month, our biggest trading partner, China, cautionednewzealand thatwemay have our eyes “plucked out”. The threat did not produce a single parliamentary question.
China’s imposition of tariffs on Australian wine did not spark anymp to ask: “arewenext?”
The Prime Minister announced thatnewzealand hadmadea formal protest to China over the use of a doctored photo by achinese foreign affairs officer. Whenquestioned about our protest, achinese foreign affairs spokesman expressed surprise. The official did notknow Newzealand had protested. NOMP asked “is our protest still in the post?”
Mpsknowthis is one the biggest foreign policy challenges the country has ever faced. Our strongest allies, Australia and the US, and our biggest trading partner, China, are asking us tomakechoiceswedo not want to make.
If ourmpswill not ask questions, Newzealandmaymakesomevery bad choices.
● Questionnumberone: “What was ournewforeign Minister, Nanaia Mahuta, thinkingwhenshe issued a joint declaration with our Five Eyes partners the US, UK, Canada and Australia, condemninghumanrights inhongkong?” Five Eyes is the world’s biggest intelligence surveillance organisation. Wikipedia states thatwhenhongkongwasa British colony, it was amajor centre of operations.
Five Eyes surveillance is not popular with those spied on. A statement coming from a spying alliancewas bound to provoke a furious reaction.
Supplementary question: “Ifwe have, as thepmclaims, an independent foreign policy, whynot put out ourownstatement condemning the expulsion ofhong Kong MPS?”
● Questionnumbertwo:“when did the Five Eyes intelligence alliance morphinto a foreign policy alliance?”
There has been no consultation with Parliament over this changed role. Did Cabinet approve?
If so, what is the role of Five Eyes today? Whendidweput the spies in charge of policy?
● Questionnumberthree: “It was thetrumpadministration that started the tariff war with China. Did weexpress concern?”
● Questionnumberfour: “THEUS has weaponised the greenback. Every bank in the world needs access to the Swift international bank transfer system. Nobank dare accept as a customer an individual or organisation on America’s banned list.
“Carrie Lam, Hongkong’s chief civil servant, cannot even bank her salary. If America had denied David
Lange the ability to bank his salary over our nuclear policy, we would have been outraged.
“Didnewzealand express concern over thetrumpadministration’s denial of banking to citizens of our biggest trading partner?”
● Questionnumberfive: “The
Prime Minister has indicated there is no need for concern becausewehave a ‘mature relationship’ with China. Australia thought they had amature relationship with China. Australia’s minerals have helped power China’s remarkable economic growth. It has not stopped China putting crippling tariffs on Australian wine. So what is to stop tariffs onnewzealand wine?”
● Questionnumbersix: “Is the intelligencewereceive from the Five Eyes alliance worth morethan our wine industry? What about our milk powder trade?”
Officials like to saywereceive 10 timesmoreintelligence from our Five Eyes partners thanwesupply. Iwas amember of the parliamentary oversight intelligence committee and I amstill bound by secrecy. I can reveal the biggest secret: Inever learned anything I had not already read in the Economist magazine.
Our membership comesmore from officials’ desire to be in the know, to be part of the in crowd, than from any advantage tonewzealand.
Weshould not romanticise our position in the world. Weare a
China’s imposition
of tariffs on Australian wine did not spark anymp to
ask: ‘are we next?’
Themighty Seventh Fleet cannot protect New Zealand from being a casualty in a trade
war.
Western country. Weare in no position to mediate.
The British ruled Hongkongwith no democracy for nearly 100 years. Newzealand never complained once. The West imposed unequal treaties on China. Newzealand never complained.
Weadmire the courage of the Hongkong students, have respect for the Dalailamaand are alarmed that theremaybe asmanyas amillion Muslim Uighurs in detention camps. Newzealand shouldmakeour concernsknownto China while declining to be a casualty in a trade war with that country.
Weare the beneficiaries of Pax Americana. The Seventh Fleet dominates the Pacific and longmayit do so. But the mighty Seventh Fleet cannot protectnew Zealand from being a casualty in a trade war.
Our Five Eyes partners need to reducenewzealand’s and Australia’s dependence on China by both the Usaand theukjoining the TransPacific Partnership (CPTPP).