We have noticed that New Zealand has recently released its National Security Strategy and Defence Policy and Strategy Statement.
At present, the Communist Party of China is leading the Chinese people in a concerted effort to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, which is the modernization of peaceful development. China remains firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace, with the core and fundamental goal to create a peaceful and favourable international environment for China’s own development. In that sense, China pursues friendship and cooperation with other countries building on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and mutual benefits, and is willing to work with other members of the international community to uphold world peace, promote common development, respond to common challenges, and build together a human community with a shared future. China is always a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order. No matter what stage of development it reaches, China will never seek hegemony, invade other countries, engage in expansionism, or meddle in other countries’ internal affairs.
At the same time, China is always ready to resolutely safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, strongly opposes the Cold War mentality, ideological confrontation, and interference in other countries’ internal affairs, and stands firmly against acts of containing and suppressing other countries in order to preserve hegemony or sabotaging international peace, security, and order for selfish interests.
China is a member of the Asia-Pacific family, and the Asia-Pacific region is China’s home and foundation for development and prosperity. China always supports ASEAN centrality in regional cooperation architecture and firmly opposes the small blocs that only lead to division and confrontation in the region. China calls for abandoning the binary adversarial mentality, acting on true multilateralism and open regionalism, bringing Asia-Pacific cooperation back on the right track to uphold regional peace and stability and promote common development and prosperity.
The cooperation between China and Pacific Island Countries is normal practice between sovereign nations, in line with international law, and complementary and non-exclusive vis-à-vis existing regional cooperation mechanisms. When growing its relationship with the Pacific Island Countries, China fully respects their sovereignty and independence, fully respects their will, fully respects their cultural traditions and fully respects their effort to seek strength through unity. China never attaches any political strings, and the cooperation never targets any third party and shall be free from disruption by any third party. China has been taking concrete actions to help Pacific Island Countries with utmost sincerity and is willing to work together with other countries to promote common development in the region according to the will of the Pacific Island Countries. China never seeks selfish interests or the so-called “sphere of influence” in the region, is not interested in geopolitical competition, and is firmly against the militarization of the South Pacific. It is rather some other countries that have constantly provoked conflicts and even confrontation, attempted to create exclusive military alliances targeting other countries, and fanned the flames of militarization. They, regardless of the strong opposition from regional countries, have put the South Pacific at the risk of nuclear proliferation, which poses serious threats to regional security and stability.
Taiwan is China’s Taiwan. Resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese, a matter that must be resolved by the Chinese. China has reiterated many times that it will continue to exert the utmost efforts and sincerity to achieve peaceful reunification of the nation. Now, the DPP authorities have refused to recognize the one-China principle and kept undertaking separatist activities to seek “Taiwan” independence. The US and certain countries have been fudging and hollowing out the one-China principle and echoing and collaborating with “Taiwan independence” forces in political, military and economic dimensions. These actions have posed direct and real threats to peace and stability across the Straits, have been strongly objected to by China, and are not in the common interests of members of the international community and the region. Those who truly value peace and stability across the Straits should firmly uphold and implement the one-China principle, unequivocally oppose “Taiwan independence” and foreign interventions, and support the peaceful reunification of China.
The East China Sea and the South China Sea have remained overall stable, and there has been no problem with freedom of navigation. No one should or has the right to point fingers at these issues. China and ASEAN countries are fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in an effective way, and actively advancing consultations on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. All parties have agreed that maritime disputes should be handled properly by countries directly concerned through dialogue and consultation. Countries outside the region have no reason to disrupt regional countries’ efforts to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea or use maritime issues to drive a wedge between regional countries and incite bloc confrontation.
China has long suffered cyber attacks and, therefore, is a staunch defender of cyber security and firmly opposes and fights all forms of cyber attacks and crimes in accordance with the law. Given the virtual nature of cyberspace, one must have clear evidence when investigating and identifying cyber-related incidents. Making accusations without proof is a malicious smear and a spread of disinformation. As cyber security is a challenge faced by all countries, China always advocates countries to strengthen dialogue and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit to address this challenge together.
China has also long been a victim of economic coercion. In fact, it is plain enough who is conducting coercive, hegemonic, high-handed and bullying acts, economically or otherwise. Certain countries tend to overstretch or abuse the concept of national security to impose protectionist policies under various pretexts, which violate both the WTO rules and the commitments made jointly by all parties in an unabashed manner.
China stays committed to high-standard opening-up with a mutually beneficial strategy, adheres to the right course of economic globalization, promotes trade and investment liberalization and facilitation to build an open world economy, and creates new opportunities for the world with China’s own development. China opposes protectionism, the erection of “fences and barriers,” decoupling, disruption of industrial and supply chains, unilateral sanctions, and maximum-pressure tactics.
At the moment, China-New Zealand relations have maintained a healthy and steady development with joint efforts, bringing tremendous benefits to the two countries, particularly our two peoples. This hard-won situation deserves to be held dear and well-nurtured continuously. China respects that New Zealand adheres to its independent foreign policy in view of safeguarding its own national interests. China is willing to develop friendship and cooperation with New Zealand on the basis of mutual respect, seeking common ground while shelving differences, and mutual benefits, strengthen our dialogue and exchanges on defence and security, and jointly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law. China is ready to work with New Zealand to promote peace, development, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and the world and bring benefits to our two peoples.