New Zealand is currently exploring associating with the non-nuclear pillar 2 aspect of the Aukus nuclear submarine pact, which involves the sharing of advanced technologies. China views the deal as an offensive and destabilising effort by Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom to hedge its influence in the Indo-Pacific. The three Aukus partners see it as an important part of preserving their own security and the security of the region.
“He [Wang] did raise Aukus with me and I pointed out the right of countries to organise their defence arrangements if they felt the need to have such arrangements and that I did not expect him to think that what our views were or our concerns were could be conceived as being imaginary, but then we were dancing around on words so to speak,” Peters said.
Peters said the conversation with Wang was a “matter of making very certain that he understood that we did not have imaginary concerns about long-term security”.
“In the conversation of his [Wang’s] concern about the Aukus arrangement, I did put to him ‘well, you do not think we just have imaginary concerns, do you?’.”
Asked whether this meant the concerns were real and not imaginary, Peters responded, “I left him to come to that conclusion.”
Peters said that the Chinese side gave no indication that there would be trade implications should New Zealand continue exploring options in relation to Aukus.
“Not in any way at all,” Peters said.
“It was a very, frank, candid and open conversation in that context. We understood where he’s coming from. I’m certain he understands where we’re coming from.”
Peters said the tone of the meeting was respectful and convivial. He said Wang had spent so long in his other meetings that day, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Trade Minister Todd McClay, that the schedule of his visit ran over time.
Invitations were extended for Luxon, McClay, and Peters to travel to China later this year. It appears all three including Luxon will take up those opportunities although Luxon’s trip and its timing are yet to be confirmed.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and Minister of Foreign Affairs People’s Republic of China Wang Yi meet in Wellington. Photo/Getty
Peters said he was forthright on the issue of Hong Kong, the city that is part of China but which had been promised a separate administrative and legal system until 2047 under the “one country, two systems” arrangement.
Some of the rights and freedoms Hong Kong is meant to enjoy have been eroded despite that deal. Peters has long spoken out about the erosion of Hong Kong’s freedoms under the arrangement.
Peters said he told Wang that he was present in Hong Kong in 1997 when the city was handed back from British control to China.
“I did point out to him... I was representing my country in Hong Kong in 1997. I know what ‘one country, two systems’ means and how I was disappointed to see it be compromised. I made it very clear to him,” Peters said.
Peters said New Zealand respected China for not supplying Russia with weapons for use in its war with Ukraine, however, he also expressed “concern” that some Chinese companies were cooperating with the war effort by sending weapons.
Thomas Coughlan is Deputy Political Editor and covers politics from Parliament. He has worked for the Herald since 2021 and has worked in the press gallery since 2018.
