U3A Takapuna

Reflecting on the history of New Zealand policy towards China is especially pertinent as we navigate the current tensions between globalisation and nationalism in global politics. China has returned as a major player on the world stage. Its economy is now the second largest in the world and it is modernising its military forces. Crucially, China is now a major source of new technology which puts it at odds with the West for geostrategic, ideological, and security reasons. Until recently New Zealand has been able to be all things to all people. It has built better relations with China and the United States. However, this cannot continue forever. New Zealand is starting to have to make difficult choices and the roll-out of the next generation of mobile communications technology is proving to be one of these difficult decisions. It is likely to be just the first in a number of   difficult decisions New Zealand will have to make which will upset either Beijing or Washington. Dr David Belgrave teaches politics and citizenship at Massey University Albany. He grew up on the North Shore and studied politics and public policy at the University of Auckland and Massey University. He then went on to study defence and international relations at the Australian National University and Victoria University of Wellington. His research focus is in East Asian security since 1945 and New Zealand public policy.