New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta warned national exporters to diversify trade from Beijing or risk being at the heart of the “storm” caused by Beijing’s anger.
To interview Mahuta, along with the Guardian, said New Zealand could hardly escape tensions between neighboring Australia and the Chinese Communist Party administration.
“And if they are near or in the eyes of a storm, we must legally ask ourselves. It’s time for the storm to approach us. It may be a problem, “said Mahata.
“The signal I’m sending to exporters is that we need to think about diversification in this context. COVID-19, expanding relations across our region, and something important in China. It’s the cushioning aspect if it happens. Can they withstand the impact? “She asked.
The country is highly trade-dependent on the Chinese market and is becoming increasingly vulnerable to the Chinese administration.New Zealand’s export trade to China Beyond The other four trading partners, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan, account for $ 33 billion of New Zealand’s total trade, with nearly 30% of its exports destined for Asian countries.
The warning was issued by New Zealand’s administration on issues such as military expansion in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Hong Kong and the South China Sea after New Zealand’s foreign minister first instructed exporters to diversify trade from China in late April. It follows that I didn’t talk to him strongly.
It was chosen by Five Eyes allies, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia.
New Zealand instead said it felt “unpleasant” to put pressure on Beijing.
“New Zealand tried to walk a tightrope between the West and the Chinese Communist Party administration and maintain a careful balance,” said Chen Weijian, editor of Beijing Spring, a U.S.-based democratization publication. He said in an interview with The Epoch Times. .. “We are trying to maintain a strong trade relationship with Beijing while maintaining the value of respecting human rights.”
But Chen Weijen said this doesn’t work. “The term human rights abuses or genocide is the same as the Chinese Communist Party. Both mean that New Zealand is no longer on its side.”
As shown by the recent response of the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand to New Zealand Condemnation of Uighur treatment by CCP“Such a declaration of human rights in China only undermines mutual trust between China and New Zealand,” he said.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern admitted that the difference between New Zealand and China was “difficult to reconcile,” but the country still wants to pursue bilateral relations with Beijing.
But experts believe that New Zealand is approaching the time to choose between them.
Chen Kuide, a Chinese scholar and editor-in-chief of the publication China in Perspective, told The Epoch Times that two factors, “national security and the country’s fundamental values,” helped bring the country back to its western allies. Told.
“Sooner or later New Zealand will return to join the Western allies,” Chen said.
Luo Ya contributed to this report.