BEIJING, Jun 13: Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who is visiting New Zealand amid the country’s plan to join the AUKUS alliance, has warned that both countries must stop their differences from becoming a “chasm” between them.
AUKUS, comprising Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, a trilateral security alliance is intended to strengthen the ability of each government to support security and defence interests, building on longstanding and ongoing bilateral ties by promoting deeper information sharing and technology sharing and fostering the integration of security and defence-related science, technology, industrial bases and supply chains.
Beijing avers the partnership is aimed at containing China’s rise.
It is “natural” that the two countries “don’t always see eye-to-eye with each other on everything”, Li told a joint press conference with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon after their talks in Wellington on Thursday.
“Such differences should not become a chasm that blocks exchanges and cooperation between us,” Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted Li as saying.
He added the two countries should use differences to “learn from each other and grow together”.
An official text of Li’s speech released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry here said: “The two sides should work to remove the disturbance of non-economic factors to bilateral trade and economic relations, and provide stable expectations and a sound business environment for the operation and development of companies”.
He also announced a visa-free policy for New Zealanders to visit China.
The unusually strong words from Li, 64, a close associate of Chinese President Xi Jinping, come in the backdrop of reports that New Zealand plans to join the AUKUS alliance which involves the transfer of nuclear submarine technology and the latest cutting-edge technologies, including quantum computing, artificial intelligence and hypersonic weapons.
China regards both Quad, (US, India, Japan, Australia) and AUKUS as alliances aimed at containing its rise and is bitterly critical of both.
Reports from Wellington quoted Luxon as saying that he discussed with Li the significant China-New Zealand economic relationship with two-way trade in goods worth nearly USD 23.43 billion, mainly New Zealand’s dairy products.
Luxon said he told the Chinese premier he would have “no tolerance” for foreign interference in New Zealand’s affairs.
Luxon said Li had raised concern about Wellington’s possible participation in a trilateral security pact with Australia, the United States and Britain, the AP news agency reported.
New Zealand is among the candidates to join Pillar 2 of an expanded AUKUS, the Post reported earlier.
Launched in 2021, AUKUS has two key pillars: Pillar 1 supports Australia’s acquisition of conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines, while Pillar 2 focuses on cutting-edge technologies, including quantum computing, artificial intelligence and hypersonic weapons.
The first pillar is limited to the core trio, with no plans for additional member states, while the expansion would take place in the second pillar, with Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Canada also reportedly listed as prospective partners.
Beijing has repeatedly opposed the establishment and expansion of AUKUS saying it has “undermined the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and triggered arms races” in the region.
Li is on a three-day three-nation tour to New Zealand followed by Australia and Malaysia, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. (PTI)
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