New Zealand expressed concern about China’s growing activity in the Pacific region and called on Beijing to respect international law. This was announced by the country’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters during a speech at the New Zealand-China Business Council.
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According to the minister, stability in the region “is being tested due to the actions of the PRC.”
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“China has a long presence in the Pacific, but we have serious concerns about the expansion of its influence and security activities. We do not want the institutions and arrangements that have long supported the security of the region to be destroyed,” Peters said, pointing to the “increased recent use of Chinese water cannon vessels against Philippine ships.” “In such situations, a simple miscalculation or accident can lead to an unpredictable escalation of the conflict and real consequences for the stability and prosperity of the region,” he emphasized.
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Peters also called on Beijing to “realize its responsibility” for what is happening in the region and in the world. “With great power comes great responsibility, and therefore we believe that China has an obligation to play a constructive role in addressing international security issues, encouraging de-escalation and facilitating the resolution of conflicts, including between Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Hamas,” said the head of the New Zealand Foreign Ministry .
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There is a territorial dispute between China and the Philippines, as well as other countries in the Pacific region, over the Nansha Archipelago in the South China Sea. These islands are valuable due to their rich biological resources, strategic location at the crossroads of the Indian and Pacific oceans, and potential oil, gas and mineral reserves.
