In China-US rivalry, NZ remains isolated but not insulated
New Zealand is facing increased geopolitical pressure as it navigates the rivalry between the US and China. Experts suggest that China is exploiting global instability to influence New Zealand's foreign policy and security alignments.
Why it matters
The analysis highlights the vulnerability of smaller nations caught in the crossfire of superpower competition.
With China and the US vying for status as the major world superpower, New Zealand is caught walking a careful line.
China sees an opportunity - created by US President Donald Trump and the global chaos he is creating - to influence New Zealand's actions in the world, according to an expert on the Chinese Communist Party.
"If you're a propagandist sitting in Beijing, Trump is the gift you never thought you'd get," says Sam Chetwin George, a senior fellow at the Asia Society's Centre on US-China Relations in New York.
China has been issuing more critical statements about New Zealand in the past year or so, coinciding with a realignment in New Zealand's foreign policy towards a traditional, US-led security framework.
But with Trump's disregard for international rules, New Zealand could be feeling more exposed, says George.
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