WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand’s partnership with the United States remains one of its most important, particularly when seen in the light of joint interests in the Pacific and the evolving security environment, the country’s foreign minister said.
Winston Peters said in a statement after a visit to the U.S. state of Hawaii that the country’s Pacific links with the United States are more important than ever and that his visit had been an excellent opportunity to underline shared Polynesian heritage and common strategic interests.
“We have long advocated for the importance of an active and engaged United States in the Indo-Pacific, and this time in Honolulu allowed us to continue to make that case,” Peters said.
The United States boosting its engagement in the Indo-Pacific region has been key to Western efforts to counter China’s growing presence. Concern has grown about the U.S. role, however, after funding for the region was frozen and Washington pulled out of the Paris climate pact, a key document for Pacific nations, which are threatened by climate change.
Peters said the visit has enabled an important exchange of views on the economic, political and security changes in the Indo-Pacific, and the role that New Zealand can play in working with regional partners to meet common challenges.
(Reporting by Lucy Craymer. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
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