The Foreign Desk Explainer 454: New Zealand’s beef with its neighbours
Feb 12, 2025
New Zealand's diplomatic journey takes a twist as tensions rise with the Cook Islands and Kiribati. The podcast dives into how increasing Chinese influence complicates the Pacific landscape. It highlights the balance between New Zealand's friendly diplomacy and the serious security challenges in the region. Discover how cultural ties and political interests intertwine in this fascinating exploration of Pacific dynamics.
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New Zealand's Peaceful Relations
- New Zealand rarely makes headlines for diplomatic disputes, due to its affability and the nature of its neighboring countries.
- These neighbors are either small Pacific Island states or Australia, with whom disagreements are usually minor.
Cook Islands and China
- The Cook Islands, with a population of 15,000, has a complex relationship with New Zealand, being sort of part of it but also independent.
- This week, the Cook Islands' Prime Minister, Mark Brown, is going to Beijing to sign a strategic partnership with China.
China's Strategic Influence
- China's infrastructure spending in the Pacific is strategic, part of a contest with Australia, New Zealand, and the US.
- Smaller Pacific nations are leveraging China's largesse to increase pressure on their democratic partners.