Summary
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, 81, sought to rally criticism of China's missile test during a Pacific Islands Forum foreign ministers' meeting,
but failed after at least two countries voiced opposition. Peters described the test as 'unwelcome, ' following an earlier incident where he humiliated a fellow MP of Chinese heritage, drawing a rebuke from the prime minister. China had given prior notification to relevant countries.
Commentary
The remarks by New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters have drawn sharp criticism from China, potentially clouding the outlook for bilateral trade. China is New Zealand's largest trading partner, taking roughly a third of its exports, with dairy, meat, timber and other goods heavily reliant on that market. The upgraded free trade agreement has handed New Zealand clear tariff advantages.
Peters' continued attempts to stoke friction with China could, if Chinese consumer sentiment sours or hidden trade barriers emerge, hit smaller and medium-sized exporters first. That said, mainstream political and business circles in New Zealand still favour pragmatic co-operation, and bilateral trade has kept growing this year. Exporters would be wise to proactively nurture customer relationships in China, reinforce the '100% Pure New Zealand' provenance, and explore diversification opportunities in ASEAN under the RCEP framework to reduce dependence on a single market.
Keywords: Winston Peters, New Zealand foreign minister, Pacific Islands Forum, missile test, Chinese-heritage MP, racism, NZ-China relations, Hu Xijin
Source: ZAKER
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