Driven by the deteriorating geopolitical situation in the Indo-Pacific, New Zealand is looking to expand its defense cooperation with key regional partners, particularly Japan, through more joint exercises, maritime patrols and potentially space tie-ups, the nation’s defense chief told The Japan Times.
“We're working closely with Japan around the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, all of these areas," New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins said in an exclusive interview. “We are working more together while looking at new opportunities to grow the relationship in an orderly and careful way.”
The growing engagement is part of a reset in New Zealand’s foreign and defense policy as Wellington grows alarmed over international security tensions, with the government of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon becoming increasingly vocal about its concerns over China's assertiveness, including in the Pacific.
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