Beijing Warns New Zealand About Joining AUKUS

In a direct warning to New Zealand, Beijing has cautioned the Pacific nation against seeking to join the trilateral pact.

ANZMIN Meeting on Feb. 1, 2024. In attendance were Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, and Foreign Minister Penny Wong, along with Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand Winston Peters, and Minister for Defence Judith Collins. Courtesy of Sarah Hodges/Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Beijing warned New Zealand about progressing with its plans to join the AUKUS alliance.

The defence and foreign ministers of Australia and New Zealand met on Feb. 1, after which Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles announced that a delegation would travel to New Zealand “very shortly” to discuss Pillar II of the AUKUS pact—the security partnership between Australia, the UK, and the United States.