Gordon Campbell: On Why Our China Panic Is About To Get Expensive

Allegedly, the defence environment has changed, and New Zealand thus needs to spend significantly more on Defence. The rationale is that China (our main trading partner) has been raising its profile in the Pacific, a region hitherto seen to be our own backyard, and an American lake. The cheek of it! First the Solomons and now the Cook Islands have begun negotiating independently with China on a range of issues, without consulting us first, let alone seeking our permission. Keep in mind that the UK, the US and Australia recently formed the AUKUS pact without seeking their permission.