Originally Australia #15 >>13460325
New Zealand 'uncomfortable with expanding the remit' of Five Eyes, says Foreign Minister
Stephen Dziedzic - 19 April 2021
New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Nanaia Mahuta, has sent a clear signal that the country will chart a more independent foreign policy, directly criticising efforts to pressure China through the Five Eyes intelligence sharing group.
The comments are likely to further inflame tensions in New Zealand's relationship with Australia, which believes the Ardern government is undermining collective attempts to push back against increasingly aggressive behaviour from Beijing.
The Five Eyes group – which includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand – was originally formed as an intelligence sharing network but has expanded its scope in the past few years.
Ms Mahuta today said the group should focus on intelligence.
"That's a matter we have raised with Five Eyes partners. We are uncomfortable with expanding the remit of the Five Eyes relationship," she said.
"We would much rather prefer to look for multilateral opportunities to express our interests on a number of issues."
The comments come only days before Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne visits New Zealand for formal talks with Ms Mahuta and New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.
Beijing has responded furiously to recent joint statements from the Five Eyes group criticising crackdowns on Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and threatened reprisals.
In the last six months New Zealand has joined many of those statements, but has been conspicuously absent from some.
Tensions have also flared between Australia and New Zealand over how to handle Beijing, although most of the frustrations have been kept behind closed doors.
Earlier this year New Zealand's Trade Minister, Damien O'Connor, irritated Australian ministers and officials after suggesting that the Morrison government should show China more "respect" in order to avoid campaigns of economic punishment.
Ms Mahuta has not held back from criticising China — including over its treatment of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang – since taking over the role.
But the Foreign Minister said Five Eyes had a "specific purpose" and New Zealand would issue its own statements – or look to "other partners" in the region – when it wanted to lay out its position.
"New Zealand has been very clear, certainly in this term since we've held the portfolio, not to invoke the Five Eyes as the first point of contact on messaging out on a range of issues," she said.
"They really exist outside of the remit of the Five Eyes. We don't favour that type of approach and have expressed that to Five Eyes partners."
The Foreign Minister's comments also cast doubt on moves to expand the diplomatic architecture of Five Eyes.
In recent years ministers from all five countries across several different portfolios – including defence, treasury and foreign affairs – have held Five Eyes meetings.
Minister outlines new approach to China
Ms Mahuta made the comments after giving a major speech designed to reframe New Zealand's approach to its relationship with China.
She said New Zealand wanted to diversify its exports in order to reduce its dependence on China, saying "in terms of thinking about long-term economic resilience … there is value in diversity".
"Resting our trade relationship on just one country, long term, is probably not the way we should be thinking about things," she said.
She said New Zealand wanted mutually respectful ties with China, comparing the relationship to a "dragon and taniwha", in reference to a water-dwelling serpent in Maori mythology.
The Foreign Minister stressed the two countries would not always agree, but needed to deal with each other fairly and honestly.
"There are some things on which New Zealand and China do not, cannot, and will not, agree," Ms Mahuta said.
"It is important to acknowledge this, and to stay true to ourselves, as we seek to manage our disagreements mindful that tikanga [culture, values or customs] or underpinning how we relate to each other must be respected."
She also issued a thinly veiled warning about rising debt levels in the Pacific, although she did not single out China.
"It's no secret there's a significant level of economic vulnerability across the Pacific," she said.
"New Zealand certainty invests in the Pacific … by way of grants, not loans."
"If we're really focused on regional stability and opportunity we need to tackle this particular challenge. I hope that conversation can take place with those who seek to invest in the region."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-19/new-zealand-five-eyes-intelligence-sharing-china-australia/100078834