National backs free-trade talks

By FRAN O'SULLIVAN

National Party leader Don Brash has pledged his party's support for a free trade deal with China.

Brash made the pledge during meetings with senior Beijing foreign affairs and trade officials during his recent whirlwind trip to the capitals of New Zealand's major international trading partners.

"That was the primary purpose of the visit," he said. "It was about confirming that a change of government in New Zealand would not result in a change in attitude towards the FTA."

Brash's pledge will be of enormous relief to the Government, which no longer receives reports from Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT) officials on his meetings with foreign leaders, politicians and officials.

The National leader cut MFAT out of the play after Prime Minister Helen Clark made public a report by an unnamed official which claimed Brash had told a group of visiting US Republican senators that the nuclear ban "would be gone by lunchtime" if his party became government.

Brash denied the claim - but made it clear he would not take the risk that his private conversations with foreign players would be used for political purposes.

The National leader told the Herald he had been asked "by someone in the Chinese Embassy here" whether a change of government would result in a different attitude towards a free trade agreement with China. "I assured that person it would not."

Brash made it clear to Beijing that there is "very much a bipartisan support for trade liberalisation" from both Labour and National who each wished to further trading relationships, including with China.

"That's good," said Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton. "Hopefully this represents a return to bipartisan support for the Government's trade policy in the interests of New Zealand."

Sutton had been concerned that a potential flip-flop by National on the nuclear policy might destabilise or push back any discussions towards a free trade agreement with the US, particularly if the US Administration decided not to enter any discussions with New Zealand until a change of government occurred.

The Brash commitment means there is now an overwhelming constituency for a China free trade deal in Parliament - no matter which of the two major parties gets to lead a government after the next election.

There have been concerns that a future Labour government might have difficulty mustering support in Parliament if it was dependent on the Greens for support.

The Greens are opposed to the deal, claiming it will affect the textile, clothing and footwear industries. Legislation to give effect to a China free trade deal is unlikely to be in place until after next year's election.


Whatever the timing of the legislation, MFAT's China taskforce now has comfort it can count on a majority of MPs to support the legislation.

MFAT will brief Parliament's foreign affairs select committee on progress as talks proceed.

At the Government's request it briefed MPs on the Singapore Closer Economic Partnership deal which was concluded in the Clark Administration's first term, and on negotiations with Hong Kong which have been postponed until the China talks get near to conclusion.

Brash was unable to meet Commerce Minister Bo Xilai - who is driving the China-NZ FTA - as he was in Chile for an Apec trade ministers meeting.