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'We cannot just be an observer' - Luxon keen to up ante on defence

Author
Jenée Tibshraeny,
Publish Date
Wed, 19 Jun 2024, 4:00pm
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon meeting personnel at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Tokyo, Japan.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon meeting personnel at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Tokyo, Japan.

'We cannot just be an observer' - Luxon keen to up ante on defence

Author
Jenée Tibshraeny,
Publish Date
Wed, 19 Jun 2024, 4:00pm

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is committing New Zealand to doing more to defend and protect the Indo-Pacific region.

Delivering a foreign policy speech in Tokyo on Wednesday, Luxon said New Zealand 鈥渃annot just be an observer.

鈥淣ew geostrategic realities have made our region more complicated, more chaotic, and more challenging to navigate,鈥 Luxon said.

鈥淲e can no longer take for granted the ability of the rules-based international order to deliver progress, safeguard our ambition, or protect our interests.

鈥淎nd in this context, I will be clear. New Zealand will be active and engaged, working alongside Japan and other partners and friends, to use our agency, influence, and role in the world to contribute to and shape global and regional security.鈥

Luxon singled out Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine and North Korea鈥檚 emerging nuclear capability as threats.

鈥淰ladimir Putin鈥檚 visit to Pyongyang today underlines the interconnection between what happens in Europe, and stability in our region,鈥 he said.

Luxon didn鈥檛 specifically mention China, but said, 鈥淚t is clear that a serious escalation in the Taiwan Strait, or in the East China Sea, would have profound consequences for New Zealand and Japan, our region, and for the world.鈥

His comments follow yesterday鈥檚 announcement the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) will increase its contribution to monitoring North Korea鈥檚 compliance with United Nations sanctions, operating out of Japan.

While New Zealand has been monitoring compliance with sanctions since 2018, the Government has committed to sending NZDF ships for the first time, and increasing the frequency of deployments of aircraft over the next two years.

On Tuesday, Luxon visited the Yokosuka Naval Base, where he welcomed being photographed and videoed by media looking around a big warship.

He also met Japanese Defence Minister Minoru Kihara ahead of his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida tonight.

Nonetheless, the Government hasn鈥檛 made firm commitments to increasing what New Zealand spends on defence, proportionate to the size of the economy.

鈥淚 want us to exchange strategic perspectives more,鈥 Luxon said during his speech in Tokyo.

鈥淚 want us to do more together on defence, including more bilateral and plurilateral exercises.

鈥淲e are working with the Government of Japan to ensure we have the architecture in place to underpin our increasing co-operation, so that we can share information easily and quickly, building trust; so that we can support joint activities between NZ Defence and Self-Defence Forces.鈥

Luxon made the point trade and defence were closely linked, as 鈥減rosperity is only possible with security.

鈥淭rade flows drive our growth, support our prosperity, and enable the necessary investment in our security,鈥 Luxon said.

鈥淲e are committed to working with Japan to ensure that CPTPP [Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership] remains the benchmark for high trade standards鈥

鈥淟ooking forward, we will work together to expand CPTPP to economies that can adhere to its high standards so that the agreement continues to deliver for our businesses.鈥

Journalists received Government assistance for travel costs to Japan when the NZDF plane broke down in Papua New Guinea.

Jen茅e Tibshraeny is the Herald鈥檚 Wellington business editor, based in the Parliamentary press gallery. She specialises in government and Reserve Bank policymaking, economics and banking.

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