NZ Navigates Between China and the West in a New Era

New Zealand’s Prime Minister underscores the balancing act of navigating between its economic ties with China and its alliances with Western democracies.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks at the Lowy institute in Sydney on August 15, 2024. Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images

As New Zealand deepens its ties with Western powers like Australia, the U.S., and other Five Eyes partners, Prime Minister Chris Luxon has acknowledged the challenges of maintaining a balanced relationship with China, New Zealand’s largest trading partner.

“China remains New Zealand’s biggest trading partner and a country of undoubted influence, and a country with which we want to work to find solutions to shared challenges,” he said at the Lowy Institute on Aug. 15.