Winston walks softly and forgets big stick
Winston Peters has concluded his first trip to China, after months of warning of the superpower’s growing influence in the AsiaPacific region.
The coalition Government has faced criticism for its delay in sending a minister to China, considering the current security climate in region, and upcoming free trade agreement discussions.
Now seven months in, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters is the first minister to make the trip.
During the three-day visit, Peters and his counterparts discussed the growth of economic and trade relations, and announced the next round of discussions on the New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) would begin in June.
Peters met with State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, along with other high-ranking Chinese officials, including Politburo member and former minister of foreign affairs Yang Jiechi, and the Minister of the Communist Party International Department Song Tao.
‘‘Our discussions were wideranging, covering all aspects of our bilateral relationship,’’ he said, adding that they ended the trip with ‘‘an agreement for future high-level visits between the two countries to maintain and build on the bilateral relationship’’.
The visit comes after a raft of comments from Peters and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, pointing to China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
In March, ahead of his Pacific mission, Peters gave a speech to the Lowy Institute in which he said the Pacific had become a ‘‘contested strategic space’’.
‘‘This is creating a degree of strategic anxiety.’’
At that event, he detailed New Zealand’s plans for a Pacific reset, involving more spending and focus on the region, in order to maintain its positive influence.
While Peters did not say it in as many words, he was largely referring to the growing influence of China in the region.
The mega power has been moving to gain more of a foothold in the Pacific, and play a larger role in its economic and infrastructure development.
As well as funding the building of police stations, courts and government buildings, China was eyeing up Vanuatu as a location for a military base – something Ardern said she was opposed to.
During her trip to New Zealand earlier this month, former American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sounded the alarm about China’s efforts to gain political influence here and the wider region’s policy decisions.
During her speech to the China Business Summit in May, Ardern also spoke of the challenge of growing influence by non-traditional players.
But like Peters, she has constantly shied away from actually naming China, saying she was ‘‘not singling out any one state agent’’ in the conversation.
Ahead of his trip, Peters was asked whether he would raise the issue of China’s growing influence, perceive political interference, and use of ‘‘soft power’’. He replied that he was ‘‘naturally a tactful person so I won’t be raising those issues in the way you’ve put them, no’’.
When asked if he would discuss matters regarding the South China Sea, after China landed a bomber on one of the islands in this disputed territory, he said he expected the issue to come up but he would not do Chinese politicians and officials the ‘‘discourtesy’’ of airing New Zealand’s specific position through the media.