New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expressed support on Friday for its Five Eyes alliance with Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States, but said her country would also consider other economic alliances in the Pacific region.
NZ earlier expressed discomfort with expanding Five Eyes remit China asks NZ not to interfere in its internal affairs (Adds more comments form PM Ardern, Chinese ambassador and analyst)
By Praveen Menon
WELLINGTON, May 3 (Reuters) - Differences between New Zealand and its top trading partner China are becoming harder to reconcile as Beijing s role in the world grows and changes, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday.
The comments come as New Zealand faces pressure from some elements among Western allies over its reluctance to use the Five Eyes intelligence and security alliance to criticise Beijing.
In a speech at the China Business Summit in Auckland, Ardern said there are things on which China and New Zealand do not, cannot, and will not agree , but added these differences need not define their relationship.
Jacinda Ardern said that differences between New Zealand, China are becoming harder to reconcile (File)
Wellington:
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that differences between New Zealand and China are becoming harder to reconcile as Beijing s role in the world grows and changes.
In a speech at the China Business Summit in Auckland, Ardern said there are things on which China and New Zealand do not, cannot, and will not agree , but added these differences need not define their relationship. It will not have escaped the attention of anyone here that as China s role in the world grows and changes, the differences between our systems - and the interests and values that shape those systems - are becoming harder to reconcile, Ardern said.