With a visit to NATO in July, and a decision due on joining the AUKUS security pact, Chris Hipkins’ visit to China has been well timed to avoid any further provocations.
Albanese, in an address being promoted as the most important he has made internationally, warned of the dangers where there was not “the pressure valve of dialogue”.
It may be half-a-world away, but the war in Ukraine is escalating geopolitical tensions everywhere – including between China and the US, with major implications for New Zealand foreign policy.
Lula’s courting of – or by – China and Western powers has confounded critics. But in reality, it is a continuation of the foreign policy he pursued during his earlier term in power.
China’s newest hypersonic missile, the DF-27, could sideline US aircraft carrier groups in the Pacific, while missiles in the works in China, Russia and the US threaten global security.
The US’s negative attitude towards BRICS reflects its own weakening global power, especially its inability to isolate Russia in Europe and to contain China’s growing influence.
The latest vitriolic exchange reflects the long-running policy animosity between the two, particularly Keating’s hostility to Wong over the issue of China
It’s likely Canberra is open to discussions with Wellington about investing in the AUKUS alliance. Can New Zealand keep hedging its bets on China and the US?
China and Russia’s relationship is complex. But China’s decision to support Russia’s war on Ukraine could ultimately come down to China’s own political interests.
With no end in site to the Ukraine war, and the UN largely powerless, New Zealand now faces difficult military, humanitarian, diplomatic and legal challenges.