More to come!
AUKUS and the U.S.-China Great Power CompetitionThe fourth argument is that AUKUS is a measuring stick for where New Zealand stands in the intensifying U.S.-China Great Power Competition.
What side, ultimately, will Wellington stand on? This competition pits a U.S.-led coalition including NATO, Washington’s Asian allies, and Australia, on one side, against a looser pseudo-alliance between China, Russia, and Iran on the other.
The dilemma here for New Zealand is that Australia is its sole military ally and the U.S. is a very close partner. Most of New Zealand’s military arms have come from the U.S. since 2010, and the New Zealand and U.S. navies regularly conduct joint operations in the Pacific.
At the same time, approximately 30 percent of New Zealand’s exports go to China. There is fear that Wellington will face Chinese economic retaliation if it joins AUKUS. Norway, Sweden, Australia, and South Korea have all faced such measures in the past when crossing Beijing. This is all occurring amidst a growing arms race throughout New Zealand’s broader region and there are several flashpoints where conflict could occur.
These include Taiwan, North Korea, the South China Sea, and even the South Pacific, where New Zealand resides. In the latter, China is expanding its profile and securing port deals that could, in future, be converted for military purposes.
https://thediplomat.com/2023/04/the-strategic-case-for-new-zealand-to-join-aukus/
