NZ navy to join UK flotilla in East Asia

New Zealand’s navy will join the United Kingdom’s flagship aircraft carrier in a tour of the Indo-Pacific, including passing through the contested South China Sea, the defence minister says.

HMS Queen Elizabeth departed Portsmouth, England, on Sunday for its maiden voyage. It will lead a carrier strike group that includes United States and Dutch navies on a tour of 40 countries, reaching India, East Asia, and the Pacific later this year.

Defence Minister Peeni Henare said it was his expectation that New Zealand would ‘‘most definitely’’ join the carrier group in its travels through the Pacific and East Asia. New Zealand may join the flotilla in visits to Japan and South Korea.

‘‘When I spoke with my counterpart in the UK we had indicated, despite the Covid restrictions, our willingness to play our part,’’ he said. ‘‘We’ve made it clear that we’re naturally at home in the Pacific, and we look to support the work that they’re doing ... We’re certainly committed to that.

‘‘We do have to go through a process to approve that through Cabinet and also to make sure that our personnel are safe because of Covid-19.’’

China has been rapidly expanding its footprint in the South China Sea.