New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins sounded cautious on his first trip to China last week. He focuses on trade and economic opportunities, but avoids controversial issues such as human rights abuses in Xinjiang or security issues.
With just three months until a tight election and with the economy technically already in recession, analysts say Hipkins is seeking to step out of former leader Jacinda Ardern’s shadow and show she is the best person to lead the country to another. three years.
One of Hipkins’ goals is to convince voters that Labor is the party that restores prosperity, including avoiding clashes with the country’s largest trading partner, which could hurt New Zealand’s exports.
“This is an important visit for Hipkins as he establishes his profile as the new prime minister in an election year,” said Robert Ayson, professor of strategic studies at the University of Victoria.
“Hipkins has avoided any controversy. We have returned, at least for a moment, to a situation where New Zealand acknowledged that it disagreed with China on several important issues, without simply naming them.
New Zealand has long been seen as the most at peace with China in the Five Eyes security group, which includes Australia, the United States, Britain and Canada.
However, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Ms Ardern recently met with their counterparts to discuss the situation in Xinjiang and the erosion of democracy in Hong Kong, while raising concerns about potential militarization in the Pacific and tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
Statements following Mr Hipkins’ meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping made no mention of the matter.
“Mr Hipkins’ visit certainly ticks the box on international legitimacy for China and Beijing benefits at least as much as New Zealand exporters,” said Ayson, of the University of Victoria.
New Zealand exporters played an important role in this visit, as a delegation of 29 companies accompanied the Prime Minister to China.
The business world is not a traditional Labour Party support base, but Mr Hipkins has worked hard to earn the trust of the sector since taking office – he spent his first day on the job in January speaking to business leaders in Auckland.
“I feel there is an important aspect of domestic politics to this election year and that Mr Hipkins wants to be seen as some sort of good handler in China relations,” said David Capie, director of the University of Victoria’s Center for Strategic Studies.
The most recent opinion poll, conducted in late May, put the coalition of the opposition National and UU parties ahead of the coalition between Labor and the Greens. However, neither of the two coalitions was able to secure a clear majority.
Derek J. Grossman, senior defense analyst at the RAND Corp in the United States, said the trade-focused visit was not expected to negatively impact New Zealand’s relations with other partners, as many countries recognize the delicate balancing act involving Wellington.
“In addition, and as the Biden administration has demonstrated with India for its relationship with Russia, as long as partners agree to work together on an Indo-Pacific strategy to counter China, Washington is prepared to tolerate some behavior that is not in their favor. interests or even their values.
