Cracks emerge in Us-led intel alliance over China approach

Apolite disagreement between pacific ocean neighbors on thursday showed a fissure among US allies over China, underscoring the difficulties Joe Biden faces in forging a common front against Beijing.

New Zealand distanced itself from Australia, a partner in the Five eyes along with the US, UK and Canada, over whether the intelligence-sharing pact should admonish China on its humanrights record. the organization dates back to an alliance forged in World War ii.

“the Five eyes arrangement is about a security and intelligence framework,” Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said at a news conference with her Australian counterpart Marise payne in Wellington. “it’s not necessary, all the time on every issue, to invoke Five eyes as your first port of call in terms of creating a coalition of support around particular issues in the humanrights space.”

While payne acknowledged that New Zealand had the right to determine its own response to human-rights issues, she made the case for speaking out: “We also have to acknowledge that China’s outlook—the nature of China’s external engagement both in our region and globally—has changed in recent years.”

the exchange reflects how New Zealand is becoming uncomfortable with the Five eyes expressing increasingly critical views on China-related issues, including Beijing’s treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and suppression of democracy activists in Hong Kong. New Zealand has on occasion opted not to co-sign those statements and instead issued one separately, such as in January following mass arrests in Hong Kong.

the other countries in the Five eyes have dismissed any notion of a deep divide. A senior Biden administration official, who asked not to be identified, played down any differences of opinion and said there’s no concern of New Zealand becoming a stumbling block to cooperation in the group. A UK official similarly said any tension hasn’t seeped down to a working level, and there’s no push to kick out New Zealand.

Still, some observers say New Zealand’s reluctance to speak out with the Five eyes is a sign Beijing is gaining influence in Wellington’s affairs. China remains the nation’s top trading partner, responsible for 29 percent of its total export revenue, and the countries in February signed an upgraded free-trade deal expected to bolster New Zealand exporters.