An international relations expert says PM Chris Hipkins’ trip to China represents a case of shared interests rather than shared values between the two countries.
The nature of China’s political system has been in focus this week after US President Joe Biden described his Chinese counterpart President Xi as “a dictator”.
Hipkins declined to make the same condemnation, saying China’s political system is “a matter for the Chinese people.”
Canterbury University professor Alex Tan told Q+A that this is an example of New Zealand’s government choosing to look the other way on political issues to shore up economic interests.
“The reality is that we know Xi Jinping is a strongman – and in the Chinese constitution, they even wrote ‘people’s democratic dictatorship’,” Tan said.
“So I think our prime minister didn’t want to be put on the spot, ahead of today’s trip to China it would have poisoned the welcome, so he’s being a bit diplomatic.”
“China’s our largest trading partner, a quarter of our exports go to China... and with the economic headwinds we’re facing, it’s part of a formula.”
Tan said geopolitical and human rights issues were likely to be raised but in private conversations rather than as a public serve.
He added that the trip going ahead suggested China still values a relationship with Aotearoa, despite its relationship with New Zealand’s traditional allies deteriorating.
“We have to realise that for a small state like us, there’s a balancing act we do need to do,” the researcher said.
On the point of whether the Chinese people have the opportunity to change their system of government if they don’t like it, Tan said that existed but only in an extreme form, such as through protest or revolution.
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