By Wendellyn Mateo
Officials from New Zealand visited several Pacific nations last week in a diplomatic blitz that saw them reaffirm Wellington’s cooperation in the region.
Accompanied by a cross-party delegation, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters held talks with authorities in Tonga, Hawaii, Fiji and Vanuatu on points of mutual interests including security and the economy.
The trip created ripples across Pacific waters, especially in light of concerns about the United States’ policy in the region, and whether Washington is taking a step back.
NZ pledges support for Tonga, Vanuatu and Fiji
In his visit to Tonga, Peters held discussions on climate change, infrastructure support and regional security with Tongan leaders.
He reaffirmed New Zealand’s support in key areas such as improving immigration settings for nations of the Pacific Islands Forum.
Among the biggest outcomes was the launch of a maritime safety community awareness and education program in a bid to promote safer waters and communities.
He also unveiled a NZ$13.8-million multi-year project to improve land use, resilience and livelihoods across several Pacific nations, which will be led by New Zealand’s Crown Research Institute, Landcare Research.
Meanwhile, Peters announced a further US$5.92 million to help Vanuatu recover from the devastating earthquake that hit the nation in December last year.
This is on top of the support it will give for a renewable energy project on the islands of Efate and Tanna.
Peters extended the same cooperation efforts with Fiji, where he travelled for a stopover enroute to Vanuatu, according to a report from Radio New Zealand.
Calling Fiji an “indispensable” partner, he confirmed New Zealand’s partnership and said their ties should deliver for their people and the region “in these uncertain times.”
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‘Quiet diplomacy’ for US and Pacific
Peters alluded to concerns about the current US policy in the region during his visit to Hawaii, where he called for “quiet diplomacy” to reign.
“Part of that is a natural and regular consequence of a change of administration in Washington.”
“Part of it relates directly to recent US decision-making on such issues as development spending and tariffs, positions that, in our view, are still evolving,” he said.
He also sought to reinforce ties between Washington and Wellington, saying that “New Zealand wants, indeed needs, for the United States to remain an active, engaged and constructive partner in the Indo-Pacific,” in a report from Reuters.
Peters had met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, director of the US Office of Foreign Assistance Peter Marocco and other officials last month for talks on their ties, which he described afterwards was still on a “strong footing” even amid “the most challenging strategic environment in at least half a century”.
In Hawaii, he particularly termed New Zealand’s Pacific ties with the US as “more important than ever.”
Peters admitted that both sides have not always agreed on certain views, but nevertheless reaffirmed their strategic ties.
“My view of the strategic partnership between New Zealand and the United States is this: we each have the right, indeed the imperative, to pursue our own foreign policies, driven by our own sense of national interest.”
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