The release of a new defense strategy paper by New Zealand, marking a shift towards greater coordination with the US and Australia on security issues, prompted a stern response from Beijing on Monday.
While Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern have made efforts to steer clear of criticizing China by name when discussing territory disputes in the South China Sea, the new defense statement does so explicitly.
In addition to China, the paper also singles out Russia as representing a threat to the international community, according to a report in New Zealand news website Stuff.
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in response to the statement that China “urges New Zealand to correctly view the relevant issues, correct its wrong words and actions, and do more things that are beneficial to the mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries.”
“China’s construction on its own territory in the South China Sea is completely appropriate and legal,” Hua added. “No one has a right to thoughtlessly levy criticisms.”
Meanwhile, it was reported this week that New Zealand announced a US$1.6 billion purchase of US-made maritime patrol aircraft. The deal includes four Boeing P-8A Poseidon planes, which are used to conduct anti-submarine warfare as well as in intelligence gathering.
The purchase “strengthens the coalition Government’s Pacific Reset by providing a maritime patrol capability with the significant range and endurance needed to assist our partners in the region,” a statement from New Zealand Defense Minister Ron Mark said, per CNN.
Foreign Minister Peters disregarded China’s response to the shift in defense strategy, saying at a news conference announcing the aircraft deal that “we’re not here to make people happy. We’re here to be responsible international citizens doing our best to preserve the neighborhood in which we live and to preserve our sovereignty.”
China’s Global Times pushed back on what it called a misguided and counterproductive policy pattern led by Washington, saying that China’s role is welcomed by most in the region.
“China’s role in the South Pacific is actually welcomed by a majority of countries there. China has emerged as a major donor in the South Pacific, including in Forum countries Fiji, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, instilling momentum to the region’s development. China provided $1.8 billion in aid and loans to South Pacific nations between 2006 and 2016, according to media reports,” the state-owned news outlet wrote.
Can’t find a gf as your young ladies prefer larger gweilos ?
All of the countries around the world views China an aggressive and buly country that grabbed territories by force, like what they have done in my country the Philippines
Why is china irked?…when its neighbours start to beef up its defense….
Maybe China is happy to see a weak and defenseless neighbor….
The PLA is a well honed organ, ready to crush students in Tianamen
Flora de la Sinensis Seems like you leaned that Chinese are hated and feared in SE Asia. Good luck with your further travels !!
Like China in Tibet and E Turkmenistan ?
So they’ll buy dirty Chinese polluted products, not clean from NZ ?
.
My back yard? Where is that supposed to be?
.
REALLY SIR? HOW CAN YOU PROVE THAT? AMERICA IS JUST SILENCE WHEN IT COMES TO ARMAMENTS AND MILITARY HARDWARE BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT WEAPON OR MILITARY TECHNOLOGY ARE AMERICAS TOP SECRETS EVEN LONG TIME AGO. AMERICA WAS THE ONLY COUNTRY WHO SENT PEOPLE TO THE MOON AND THAt was happened in 1969.AMERICA WA THE FIRST COUNTRY WHO DISCOVERED NUCLEAR WEAPON. ATOMIC, HYDROGEN BOMB ARE FACE OUT ALREADY TO THIER STOCKFILE.AMERICA REACHES ALMOST THE HEAVENLY PLANETS AND DEEPEST OCEANS. COMPARE TODAY,AMERICA REACH THE HIGHEST MILITARY TECHNOLOGY AND DEADLIEST WEAPON ON EARTH BUT THEY ARE ONLY SILENT ABOUT IT. IF ALL OUT WAR WILL BREAK, MAYBE, THE WHOLE WORLD WILL TURN TO WASTELAND AND NO LIVING ORGANISM WILL LEFT ALIVE TO THIS PLANET. THE INTILLEGENCE OF THE MILITARY OF THE OTHER COUNTRY TODAY WAS THE INTILLEGENCE OF AMERICA 70 -80 YEARS AGO.
History teaches us, we learn nothing from history!.
Benjamin Disralie
Lawrence, you talk of guns, tanks planes and all of China’s military hardware. People only talk of such things in a predatory tone, a threatening tone., are you one of those people? You sound angry, you sound like you want be a “colonist” just like all those who have invaded the Pacific before you.
I suggest a little more reading and an open mind will open your eyes.
Flora de la Sinensis Sorry, where are you a resident of?, you seem to have an axe to grind. Maybe,just maybe the neighbourhood isn’t what it used to be. Especially when by 2030 half the worlds subs will be in your backyard.
.
**** Chinese HGV ****
Yet, they b*tch and b*tch that we hacked the US defense industry and stole these technology from them. Now, as far advance as we are (Mach 10 verses Mach 5) to America’s best of the best, how is it even possible that we stole those technologies?
I mean logic is that?
.
Not a problem at all. If new zealand wish to screw itself hard, China will gladly help by discouraging her people to not visiting new zealand and buy its products. There are no lack of alternatives out there.
.
As a Nguyen (元) in Zhongwen, you have to be overseas Chinese as I am, which likely is why the feeling is mutual…
Sadly however, when I visited the Ha Long Bay region 3 years ago, our tour guide, an ugly third generation overseas Chinese hag, cured us (中國人) for the ‘79 border war and (VERBALLY) attacked us as if we killed more of the country’s people than the Americans and French put together all the while never considering the COMMANDO RAIDS and the constant SHELLING of towns and villages in Yunnan and Guangxi which Giap had been forewarned umpteenth times…
Man! That hurts big time after the thick and thins we went through together with Uncle Ho in his struggle for his country’s national salvation…
.
Arthur Micol
What can NZ do? A small country so far in the southern Ocean. To get there takes hours. Just concentrate on sell milk. China is not coming after you. US is.
New Zealand should provide more development assistance to South Pacific countries to counnter China’s influence instead of spending more on defense.
Well said, sir!
.
C’mon! Just like Canada, both Anglo countries (New Zealand and Australia) had always been a market for American arms and American arms only…
I’m of the opinion even, that just like us Canucks, that it’s part of the deal that as allies that these countries must buy American and British only, and, as an alternative maybe French…
I mean what are the chances that the Aussies (New Zealand one and same) will sign a deal with Tupolev, with Sukhoi, with AVIC, or with Hindustan Aerospace for their defence needs like Turkey’s proposal for HQ-9’s and now S-400? Zilch, has opinion…
So let’s drop the “IRK CHINA PART” because China could care less what these Anglo’s buys because that’s always been how it is since the dawn of Chinese-NEW Zealander-Aussie’s time…
.