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Beijing ‘worried’ as NZ speaks on flashpoint

Thomas Manch thomas.manch@stuff.co.nz

China is ‘‘worried’’ that New Zealand is increasingly speaking out about China’s actions in the South China Sea, attributing the tougher stance to pressure from the United States and Australia.

Wang Genhua, China’s deputy chief of mission and current charge d’affaires, said the relationship between New Zealand and China was ‘‘basically stable’’.

But in the past six months he had noticed a change, Wang said from the embassy in Wellington, in an interview conducted over Zoom due to Chinese Covid-related protocols.

‘‘New Zealand is undergoing some pressure from outside and tried to have more voice on South China Sea . . . We feel worried about that, and we don’t know the reason,’’ he said.

The New Zealand Government, along with many other liberal democracies, has grown steadily more concerned about China’s increasingly aggressive posturing on the global stage in recent years.

That includes its expanding influence in the Pacific, as well as its militarisation of the contested South China Sea – a potential flashpoint for conflict between countries including the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in July said China’s ‘‘artificial island building, continued militarisation, and activities which pose risks to freedom of navigation’’ in the South China Sea was a ‘‘serious concern’’ for New Zealand.

This message was reiterated by Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta during a trip to Indonesia last month. In August, New Zealand told the United Nations in a diplomatic statement that claims of ‘‘historic rights’’ to the South China Sea – as China claims – had no legal basis.

But Wang said New Zealand misunderstood China’s historical claim to the South China Sea and its construction of military bases in the sea was an issue of the country’s sovereignty – therefore not for outsiders to intervene.

‘‘The United States or New Zealand, other countries, they don’t want to listen to our opinion. That’s the problem,’’ he said.

Victoria University Professor David Capie, the director of the Centre for Strategic Studies, said claims of ‘‘so-called historical rights’’ were not recognised under international law.

After receiving a complaint from the Philippines, a United Nations tribunal in 2016 rejected China’s claim to the South China Sea and said artificial island building in Philippines’ waters was unlawful.

In the landmark ruling, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague said there was no evidence that China had exercised exclusive control historically over the key waterway.

‘‘China just ignored that decision,’’ Capie said.

Since then, China had been constructing islands and military bases, and using a maritime militia and coastguard to harass other countries.

‘‘As those activities have increased, so have New Zealand’s concerns,’’ he said.

‘‘For a small maritime country, with a huge maritime exclusive economic zone, it’s really important to us that the Law of the Sea is respected and upheld by all states big and small.’’

Capie said it was not surprising to hear a Chinese official criticising New Zealand’s stance on the South China Sea, ‘‘but I just don’t think it’s very persuasive’’.

Wang has been in charge of China’s diplomatic post in Wellington in recent weeks after ambassador to New Zealand Wu Xi left the country after nearly four years. A new ambassador will be announced in the coming month, he said.

It has been uncommon for Chinese officials in New Zealand to speak publicly, particularly on contentious issue, but Wang has been outspoken. Last month, he told a public event that Australia would inevitably acquire nuclear weapons as part of the Aukus defence pact – something all members of the pact have promised will not occur.

Wang said he was ‘‘optimistic’’ about the New Zealand-China relationship and said the ‘‘general trend’’ was not changing. He said New Zealand officials listened to China’s views when they wanted to, primarily on trade and economic policy.

China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner, with two-way trade exceeding $33 billion annually.

‘‘If we have any trade policy, or our economic policy, the government will be very interested, but on South China Sea issue or you know Xinjiang issue, we explain a lot to them, but they don’t want to listen,’’ Wang said. ‘‘Maybe they feel the pressure from outside, or, you know, basically we have some difference on values. That’s natural.’’

Australia closely followed the US and its effort to ‘‘stir up the ideological confrontation against China’’, he said, adding that

New Zealand would inevitably follow suit ‘‘because New Zealand has to follow Australia’’.

‘‘[Australia] want to be the second big brother in the Asia Pacific, that’s very ridiculous . . . I think that’s one of the most challenging external environment for China now,’’ he said.

China and Australia have been engaged in a lengthy trade stoush, with China imposing heavy tariffs on certain exports, a conflict sparked by Australia advocating for an independent investigation into the origins for the Covid-19 pandemic.

Australia in September announced it would join a defence pact with the United States and the United Kingdom, dubbed Aukus, which would grant Australia access to the US’ nuclear-powered submarine technology.

The move was aimed at countering China’s rising power.

Taiwan was the most pressing issue for China’s diplomacy abroad, Wang said. China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, which it views as a breakaway province, and wants to bring it under Chinese Communist Party control.

New Zealand does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, instead formally recognising China.

Wang said New Zealand kept a ‘‘low profile’’ in the Taiwan Strait.

‘‘The United States or New Zealand, other countries, they don’t want to listen to our opinion. That’s the problem.’’

Wang Genhua

China’s deputy chief of mission and current charge d’affaires

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2021-12-04T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-12-04T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281706912966023

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