Are we now a US pawn?

important links built on a foundation of historical and contemporary connections between our two peoples.’’ The flattery continued as if it was Oscars night. ‘‘China is an increasingly important regional and global actor.’’ ‘‘Actor’’ in Wellington; global threat in Washington.

The Chinese know what’s going on. Since we banned Huawei’s potential involvement in the 5G network – probably the biggest blunder this Government has made since coming into office – we’ve seen a Chinese tourism summit cancelled, articles in Chinese papers discouraging tourists from visiting here and Ardern’s class trip to Beijing put on permanent hold. Now there’s evidence of Chinese students failing to turn up to New Zealand schools in which they have enrolled. Do we need this grief with our biggest trading partner?

You need only look at our past involvement in Afghanistan to know that New Zealand does things it doesn’t believe in, so as not to offend the US. There seems little evidence that China would spy on us, or do any damage if it did, if Huawei won the 5G bid. And our phones would work better. The real reason is that, if we allowed Huawei in, we would get offside with our Five Eyes friends, especially the US.

Should we forget all our democratic principles and focus purely on trade? No. New Zealand has often acted on principle – our 1984 anti-nuclear policy springs to mind – without considering trade consequences. But I can’t find any noble democratic sentiments behind our 5G decision.

If we were to lose exports to China because we criticised their awful treatment of the Uighur people, then that’s something to seriously debate – once we’ve condemned a whole lot of other terrible things around the world that the US and Britain have condoned.

Philip Burdon, former National minister and co-founder of the Asia NZ Foundation, is one of many who is concerned. ‘‘We must not allow ourselves to become a pawn for American strategic thinking in what is very likely going to become an increasingly acrimonious and adversarial relationship,’’ wrote Burdon recently. Hear, hear.

‘‘We do not agree with China’s attitude to human rights and civil liberties,’’ added Burdon, ‘‘but this does not justify us demonising China in the way that the present US administration is attempting to do. China has sought to constructively engage with New Zealand, for which we should be grateful. It is utterly ridiculous to suggest China has sinister plans to subvert and interfere in our society or our democratic institutions.’’

Give that man a speechwriting job at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

But are our current National MPs as enlightened as Burdon? Though he criticised the Government over China, Simon Bridges doesn’t know if he would allow Huawei to run 5G here. I suspect things would be no different under National. Kiwis who want a government that follows a truly independent foreign policy might be waiting a very long time.