China’s Tasman Sea drills spark tension in NZ-China relationship

• China’s lack of warning about its naval exercises in the Tasman Sea is seen as a failure in its relationship with New Zealand, according to Foreign Minister Winston Peters.
• Peters raised concerns with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, highlighting the impact on civil aviation flights.
• Discussions also covered the Cook Islands' agreements with China, future trade opportunities and global issues like Ukraine and Gaza.

By Corin Dann of RNZ

A lack of a sufficient warning from China about its live-fire naval exercises in the Tasman Sea has been labelled a failure in the New Zealand-China relationship by Foreign Minister Winston Peters.

The issue of China’s three navy ships being in the Tasman Sea and conducting live exercises has dominated talks between Peters and his counterpart in Beijing overnight.

Peters says while he didn’t seek any assurances or explanations about what China was doing in the Tasman, noting it had a right to be there under the laws of the sea, concern about a lack of notice was raised with his counterpart Wang Yi, particularly as the exercises prompted civil aviation flights to be changed.

China's Wang Yi at the talks. Photo / NZ Embassy in Beijing

“We placed it in the context of, look, we’ve had this special relationship which has first begun in 2008 and expanded upon. We are now [in the] second decade of this arrangement and this is a failure in it at this time and we’d like to have it corrected into the future.”

When asked exactly what the failure was, Peters replied: “The failure to give us adequate notice.”

Peters says for two countries with a serious partnership, New Zealand would have expected to have notice.

He says New Zealand believes China is considering doing that in future.

In response to the concerns raised in Australia earlier this week, China claimed the ships issue was being deliberately hyped and it had issued warnings for aircraft.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters isn't happy with how China has failed to provide advance information on its naval exercises. Photo / NZ Embassy in Beijing

Meanwhile, the issue of the Cook Islands signing agreements with China was also raised, with New Zealand focusing on reminding China that the Cooks as a realm country has a different constitutional arrangement than other Pacific countries China might be dealing with.

Other issues that were raised included future trade opportunities, China’s possible entry into the CPTPP trade agreement, the impact of the Trump White House on global affairs, Ukraine and Gaza.

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