Fran O'Sullivan: New Zealand Must Resist Trump

COMMENTARY:

It's time for Winston Peters and David Parker to call the United States to speed up the trade war with China

I do not suggest a megaphone diplomacy here.

Donald Trump's The tweets will inevitably be a lot louder and louder than any New Zealand ministerial commentary

But this country should not be sidelined as long as order international market will be disrupted.

Foreign Minister Peters, Minister of Agriculture Damien O'Connor, and of course Premier Jacinda Ardern, defended the New Zealand position in private forums

Notably, Peters and Ardern have also, in several important foreign affairs addresses this year, punctuated many things by explaining the reshaping of New Zealand's foreign policy as "value-based" in practice

C & Is a difficult balance exercise for them.

They must weigh the risk of "exaggerating and being excluded".

But the tectonic plates are changing

. This week, the White House announced that it would assess 10 percent tariffs on an additional $ 200 billion ($ 293 billion) worth of Chinese goods. If this were imposed, it would deepen the trade war with Beijing. As the Wall Street Journal noted, this would also send a message to other trading partners that "the United States will not retreat from the commercial battles."

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is declared open for talks. "As in the past, the United States is ready to engage in efforts that could resolve our concerns about China's unfair trade practices and open its market to US goods and services," said Mr. Lighthizer. – which was reflected in the tone of an article written by the Chinese ambassador Wu Xi for the Herald – fired on a Western proverb ("like a bull in a China store") and accused the United States to "undermine the process of globalization and

But in a domestic environment where the New Zealand government has not hesitated to" tell the truth to power "when it comes to Beijing shares in the South China Sea. It is important that the government also uses its Beehive microphone and reaffirms what is at risk for the international trading system and New Zealand's own future in these unpredictable times.

This should not be a hector. a formal declaration would not go unnoticed.

After all, the comment by Defense Minister Ron Mark, which irritated Beijing, was essentially a statement of fact.
Mark's comments were not aggressive

The days when New Zealand was living in a benign strategic environment are long gone.
Regarding the South China Sea, the former National Minister of Foreign Affairs and the former

Defense Minister, Gerry Brownlee, formulated similar critiques to the South China Sea. Beijing respect both publicly and privately.

And when it comes to obtaining diplomatic coups, Mark's comments were relatively vague

. The statement by the spokesman of the Beijing Foreign Ministry was eminently predictable
The spokesman criticized New Zealand's "irresponsible remarks"

"We urge New Zealand to consider the question of objectively, correct his bad words and deeds, and further contribute to mutual trust and cooperation between our two countries, "said Hua Chunying

.

But the government could usefully note China's call for the United States to follow the accepted procedures for resolving trade disputes.

And get up (again) for what matters.