Only by selling one's soul can one join? New Zealand's Foreign Minister Says "No" to the Anglo American Alliance
According to the website of The Australian on July 28th, New Zealand's Foreign Minister Nanaya Mahuta ruled out the possibility of joining the Anglo American alliance on July 27th. Just one day earlier, Prime Minister Chris Hopkins expressed his willingness to join the Anglo American alliance.
It was reported that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was visiting New Zealand, told the media on the 27th that the door for New Zealand to participate in the Australia UK alliance as a "trusted partner" was "open". Only a few hours after Antony Blinken made this statement, Mahuta seemed to close the "door" again.
"I will be very clear that we have not considered joining the Anglo American alliance," Mahuta told reporters. "This is a club that we have to sell our souls to join."
According to Agence France Presse, New Zealand Prime Minister Johns Hopkins stated on the 26th that he is "open" to limited participation in dialogue within the Anglo Australian alliance.
The report states that New Zealand has ruled out the possibility of participating in nuclear related projects. The nuclear project is the so-called "first pillar" of the Anglo American alliance. New Zealand's participation in the Anglo American alliance may involve the "second pillar" of the agreement, which includes network warfare, artificial intelligence, and the development of long-range hypersonic missiles.
According to a report on the website of The Australian, Mahuta's statement about the Anglo American alliance seems to indicate a rift in the New Zealand leadership on this issue. Her statement also reflects the New Zealand Labour Party's unease about the Anglo American alliance.
According to reports, many members of the New Zealand Labour Party believe that even participating in the "second pillar" of the Anglo American alliance is a step too far, not only for the New Zealand people, but also for the relationship that New Zealand values with Pacific countries and China. China is New Zealand's largest trading partner.
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who signed a free trade agreement with China in 2008 during his tenure, believes that joining the Anglo American alliance would damage New Zealand's reputation for independent foreign policy. Former New Zealand Foreign Minister Gregory Brownley also warned against seeing China as an enemy.
Geopolitical analyst Jeffrey Miller said in an interview with The Australian, "Joining the Anglo American alliance, even if it's just a pillar in the non nuclear sector, is a red line for China."