New Zealand’s Foreign Minister said New Zealand needs us as an “active” partner in the Indo-Pacific.
SYDNEY (Reuters) – New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on Sunday that his country needs the United States as an “active” partner in the Indo-Pacific region, after traveling to Washington last month to establish ties with the Trump administration.
New Zealand and the United States work together in the Pacific to offset China's growing influence, but some New Zealand lawmakers have attracted attention in the changes in the Washington government and its suspension of aid funds to change in the region.
Peters made a week-long Pacific trip to Honolulu, Hawaii, and Peters said his message to the United States was that “New Zealand wants, does need, the United States, to keep the United States active, dedicated and constructive partners in the Indo-Pacific.”
“We look forward to a more constructive conversation in the coming days,” Winston said, according to the transcript.
In Washington, Peters met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Director of the U.S. Office of Foreign Aid, and a range of other executive and congressional delegates.
After the meeting, Peters said New Zealand's relationship with the United States was in a “strong position” in what he called “the most challenging strategic environment in at least half a century.”
(Reported by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editor of Sonali Paul)
