China has agreed to address concerns raised by New Zealand regarding the lack of prior notice before its military conducted live-fire exercises in the waters between New Zealand and Australia last week. The exercises caused disruptions as passenger flights between the two countries had to change course mid-flight after Chinese naval vessels warned pilots they were flying over the live-fire zone.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, stated that China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, acknowledged New Zealand’s concerns during their meeting and dinner in Beijing. Peters framed the issue within the context of the strong relationship the two countries have built since 2008, with China being New Zealand’s largest export market.
He described the incident as a failure within their longstanding arrangement, noting that they hoped it would be addressed in the future. He added that China is considering New Zealand’s concerns.
Australia has expressed stronger concerns about the lack of prior notification regarding China’s military exercises. Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that she asked for an explanation from China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, during their meeting in Johannesburg last Saturday, which took place after a gathering of foreign ministers from the Group of 20 nations.
The main concern revolves around how much advance notice militaries should give before conducting such exercises. New Zealand’s Defense Minister, Judith Collins, told Radio New Zealand that China only provided “a couple of hours’ notice,” instead of the expected 12 to 24 hours. A longer notice period would have allowed airlines to plan alternative routes.
China’s official Xinhua News Agency did not address this issue in its initial report about Foreign Minister Peters’ meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng earlier that day.
A spokesperson for China’s Defense Ministry defended the drills on Sunday, stating that they were in accordance with international law and did not pose any risk to aviation safety.
Peters, who is also New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister, is currently on an 11-day trip that started with visits to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. After Beijing, he plans to visit Mongolia and South Korea before returning to New Zealand on Monday.
During his discussions in Beijing, Peters mentioned that the return of President Donald Trump to the White House came up more often than expected. While he didn’t provide further details, he noted that both sides agreed to “wait and see what happens when the dust settles.”
Peters also took the opportunity to explain the unique relationship New Zealand has with the Cook Islands, which recently signed several agreements with China that have raised concerns in New Zealand. The New Zealand government was upset when Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown refused to share the draft text of a cooperation agreement with China before it was signed.
Since Cook Islands citizens hold New Zealand passports, and New Zealand assists with the country’s military and foreign affairs, the Cook Islands government is required to consult New Zealand on matters that could impact it. “They need to understand the constitutional arrangement, which they said they did now,” Peters stated regarding China’s understanding.
