Original title: New Zealand Minister of Trade: New Zealand will continue to expand trade with China despite the tense relations between Australia and China
[环球时报记者 赵觉珵 刘洋]According to a report from the Financial Times on the 17th, New Zealand’s Minister of Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor said that despite the tense relations between neighboring Australia and China, New Zealand will continue to expand its trade relations with China. In addition, he also said that New Zealand intends to reach a free trade agreement with the United Kingdom and the European Union this year in order to achieve diversified export markets.
According to the report, O’Connor said when referring to the China-Australia trade dispute, “China is clearly an important market for Australia. Although we are worried about some turbulence, we still have to make progress and development in the areas of strength of our two countries.” When asked how New Zealand avoids similar disputes, he said, “Our relationship (with China) has always been very straightforward and this is very valuable.” In line with O’Connor’s attitude, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Mahuta has also expressed interest in New Zealand’s relationship with China. China’s economic and trade relations made a statement, expressing that it is not worried about China’s implementation of the so-called “economic high-pressure policy” against New Zealand.
According to the Financial Times, China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner. As of the end of March this year, New Zealand’s exports to China in the past year amounted to 19 billion New Zealand dollars (approximately 86.2 billion yuan), accounting for a quarter of its total exports. New Zealand is the first developed country to sign a free trade agreement with China. In January this year, the country agreed to upgrade the agreement to increase market access. Nevertheless, New Zealand has quietly strengthened its diversification of trade relations in an attempt to reduce its dependence on China. According to reports, O’Connor plans to meet with British Secretary of State for International Trade Truss in London on the 18th to speed up negotiations with the United Kingdom on a free trade agreement. He will also travel to Brussels later to discuss an agreement with the European Union. Some analysts believe that Wellington’s efforts to diversify its trading partners are to protect its economy when relations with Beijing change.
Just as New Zealand expressed its intention to strengthen trade relations with China, Australia was still criticizing China for no reason. According to the British “Guardian” report on the 16th, when Australian Prime Minister Morrison visited France, he called for global cooperation to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and criticized China for “undermining the rule of law” and threatening a world order that is “friendly to freedom”. However, in an interview with Australian media on the 17th, he claimed that Australia is “working hard” to avoid conflict with China and “fully” to prevent the escalation of the relationship between the two countries into a cold war.
Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center of East China Normal University, told the Global Times reporter on the 17th that the reason why Morrison has frequently wooed other countries to fight China is to enhance his own importance and raise his tune against China. “Recently, Australia has challenged China with the support of the United States, but it misjudged the situation. Instead of making concessions, China has made Australia feel pressured.” Chen Hong analyzed that the consciously weak Morrison government It is trying to use the so-called “values diplomacy”, while emphasizing “democracy” and “freedom”, while labeling China as “coercing other countries” and pour dirty water on China.
Chen Hong mentioned that in addition to this trip to Europe, Morrison has also recently tried to win over New Zealand, Singapore and other countries. However, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made it clear at a press conference after his talks with Morrison on the 10th of this month, “Relations with China are one of the biggest foreign policy issues of every major country in the world. You need to cooperate with this country, and it will be There will be a substantial existence.”
Chen Hong said that in recent years, Australia has acted as the “pawn of the United States” and adopted a hostile attitude towards China. This is an approach that lacks political independence and political wisdom. Facts have proved that this is not worth the gain. The foreign policies of many countries are based on their own interests, but they are more politically wise than Australia, such as New Zealand.
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