N. Zeeland says it is ‘deeply concerned’ about China’s increased security actions in the Pacific

New Zealand’s foreign minister responded sharply on Friday to China’s request for a greater security presence in the Pacific islands, warning against actions that could “destabilize” or undermine regional security.

“China has a longstanding presence in the Pacific, but we are deeply concerned about its increased involvement in the security sectors in the Pacific,” Winston Peters said in a speech on relations with China, which made rare criticism of key trading partner of New Zealand.

China has persuaded a string of Pacific island states to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing and signed a secret security treaty with the Solomon Islands.

Chinese police, research and military vessels have become an increasingly common sight in the region, sparking a battle for influence with the United States and concerns that the region – ravaged by violence during World War II – could once again become the scene of will become a battle between great forces.

“We do not want to see developments that destabilize the institutions and arrangements that have long underpinned the security of our region,” Peters told the New Zealand China Council in Auckland.

China is New Zealand’s largest export market and a major buyer of its dairy, meat and other products.

Wellington has long been one of Beijing’s closest partners among Western democracies.

But relations have deteriorated in recent years as China seeks to expand its military and diplomatic power across part of the Pacific Ocean and beyond.

Peters is part of a recently elected center-right conservative coalition focused on closer ties with Australia and the United States, and a less cozy relationship with Beijing.

In March, Wellington said publicly that a Chinese “state-sponsored group” was behind a “malicious” 2021 cyberattack that infiltrated sensitive government computer systems.

The country’s counterintelligence agency said a state-backed group known as “APT40” compromised computers linked to the parliamentary network.

New Zealand politicians have traditionally been cautious about comments or actions that risk angering China, fearing damaging political or economic sanctions such as those imposed by Beijing on Australia and Canada.

Chinese Communist Party leaders reject accusations of hacking and political interference, while accusing smaller countries of being Washington’s puppets.

Earlier this week, Peters gave a speech calling on New Zealanders to consider joining a historic defense technology pact with Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Peters argues that the foundations of New Zealand’s independent foreign policy have “seismically shifted” and that New Zealand must join AUKUS’ efforts to develop advanced military technology such as artificial intelligence, undersea drones and hypersonic missiles.

The pact faces fierce opposition from Beijing, which says it is aimed at containing China.