New Zealand FM takes dig at China

SYDNEY: New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters has raised concerns about “strategic reference to China’s growing influence among the region’s

Peters said New Zealand’s center- left government, which took power in October, would renew its foreign policy focus on

The region has long been seen as New Zealand and Australia’s become a major player, offering

Peters said this meant Canberra and Wellington had to worker harder to maintain

become an increasingly contested strategic space, no longer neglected by Great Power ambi

Peters did not directly mention China— New Zealand’s biggest trading partner— in his speech delivered late Thursday to Australian foreign policy think tank

But he also pointedly failed to list Beijing among the “regional looking to cooperate with in

Peters said Australia, the European Union and the United States all needed to come to grips

“We need to better pool our energies and resources to main

His speech came as Tonga’s King Tupou VI made a state visit to China, shaking hands with

The state- run Xinhua news agency said Xi vowed to “continue to provide Tonga with economic and technological “would never attach any political

‘Quality’ of Pacific aid

New Zealand’s concerns mirror Australia’s with Canberra criticizing Chinese aid in the region

International Development Minister Concetta Fierravanti- Wells accused Beijing of fund

Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele labeled her -

Peters’ language was more diplomatic but essentially raised

After meetings with New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern in Sydney on Friday, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull repeated his

But he stressed that “the issue is not the origin of the investment but the nature and

from any source, any nation, any development bank, on the basis that it is going to provide real value, supports good governance, has got a robust business plan

Chinese aid spending in the

Peters said New Zealand would increase its aid spending but could not match the deep pockets of some donors in

But he said the islands viewed New Zealand as a family member and those links would help its

“New Zealand will embark on a refreshed approach to the

“One motivated by our understanding of the scale of the challenges the Pacific faces— stemming from existential climate change issues and everpresent poor economic and

The diplomatic push will begin when Peters joins Ardern Satur - ing in Tonga, Samoa, Niue, and

Ardern spoke Friday at the press conference of her nation’s

She said the region’s numerous challenges, such as the impact of climate change and rising joint action with Australia and