Jacinda Ardern: will continue to cooperate with ‘more assertive’ China

Even as she admitted that ‘China becomes more assertive in the pursuit of its interests’ New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said her country will continue to cooperate with Beijing on “shared interests”.

Speaking to the China Business Summit in Auckland, the prime minister said she was planning a trip to China ‘to seize new opportunities for dialogue’, support the trade relationship, and further cooperate on the climate crisis.

She said there are shared interests on which China and New Zealand can and should cooperate. The Prime Minister said her government will see how much it has to lose should the international rules-based system falter.

Her remarks came as the commander of the United States military in the Pacific Admiral John Aquilino said that he wants to expand and strengthen its ties with New Zealand.

His visit to Wellington comes as the U.S. is looking to increase its presence in the region amid deep concerns over China's growing ambitions in the Pacific.

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