INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
To meet the Chinese challenge in the Pacific, NZ needs to put its money where its mouth is New Zealand and Australia are the region’s biggest aid donors, but their spending falls well under the GNP-based level of assistance recommended by the UN, writes Professor Alexander Gillespie.
Alexander Gillespie is Professor of International Law at the University of Waikato.
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This week’s White House meeting between Jacinda Ardern and Joe Biden reflected a world undergoing rapid change. But of all the shared challenges discussed, there was one that kept appearing in the leaders’ joint statement – China in the Pacific. Tucked within the statement, with all its promises of increased cooperation and partnership, was this not-so-subtle declaration: In particular, the United States and New Zealand share a concern that the establishment of a persistent military presence in the Pacific by a state that does not share our values or security interests would fundamentally alter the strategic balance of the region and pose national-security concerns to both our countries. Unsurprisingly, this upset Chinese officials, with a foreign
ministry spokesperson accusing Ardern and Biden of trying to “deliberately hype up” the issue. But hopefully the statement will also prompt New Zealand to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to increasing assistance in the Pacific region. Expressing “concern” about China’s influence means little otherwise. Aid and influence While New Zealand and Australia are responsible for around 55% of all of the aid flowing into the region, that contribution needs to be seen in perspective. There are two obvious shortcomings. First, more needs to be done to promote democracy in the Pacific, which means supporting anti-corruption initiatives and a free press. Second, both countries simply need to give more.
Line of Defence
