Updated May 22, 2019
New Zealand
The United States and New Zealand work together closely
The opposition center-right National Party is led by Simon
in bilateral, regional, and global contexts to address
Bridges. The next election is due by November 2020.
common interests in the areas of defense, foreign affairs,
and trade. Bilateral and multilateral military-to-military
Figure 1. New Zealand in Brief
exercises involving the two countries, such as the 23 nation
RIMPAC naval exercise, have increased in number since
the signing of the Wellington Declaration of 2010 and the
Washington Declaration of 2012. These declarations
marked turning points in bilateral relations after differences
over nuclear policy in the 1980s prompted the United States
to suspend its alliance commitments to New Zealand (see
below). The renewed strength of the bilateral relationship
was also demonstrated by the November 2016 visit of the
USS Sampson, the first U.S. warship visit to New Zealand
in more than 30 years. This strengthening of the
relationship has been building since New Zealand’s
commitment of military forces to Afghanistan in 2003. In
the view of many observers, this return to close cooperation
puts to rest past differences over nuclear policy.
Background
New Zealand and the United States have common historical
roots as settler societies of the British Empire. New
Zealand, also known to New Zealanders as Aotearoa or “the
land of the long white cloud,” was first settled by the

Source: CIA World Factbook and the Economist Intel igence Unit.
Polynesian-Maori people around the tenth century. Dutch
navigator Abel Tasman discovered the western coast of
Christchurch Massacre
New Zealand in 1642, but it was English Captain James
Cook who, over three expeditions in 1769, 1773, and 1777,
A 28-year-old Australian man, who has been described as a
white supremacist, attacked the Al Noor Mosque and
circumnavigated and mapped the islands. The 1840 Treaty
Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand, on
of Waitangi, between the British Crown and indigenous
Maori Chiefs, serves as the basis for relations between the
March 15, 2019. Fifty-one people were killed in the
attacks. Following the attacks, Prime Minister Ardern
Maori and European communities. The British Monarch,
reportedly told President Trump that the best way to show
Queen Elizabeth II, is the constitutional head of state of
New Zealand. Her representative, the Governor General,
support in the wake of the attacks would be to have
acts on the advice of the New Zealand Prime Minister’s
“sympathy and love for all Muslim communities.”
Cabinet. In 1893, New Zealand gave all women the right to
Defense and Foreign Policy
vote. New Zealand attained Dominion Status in 1907 and
In part because New Zealand is a small nation, New
gained full political independence from Britain under the
1947 Statute of Westminster Adoption Act.
Zealand officials place much emphasis on multilateral
processes and institutions. They also place emphasis on
Politics and Elections
regional economic institutions, and Australia and the United
States figure prominently in New Zealand’s national
New Zealand is a unicameral, mixed-member-proportional
security affairs. New Zealand’s commitment of regular
(MMP), parliamentary democracy. MMP was introduced in

troops and other assistance in support of the Provincial
New Zealand in 1996. Under MMP, Members of
Reconstruction Team in Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan, in
Parliament come from both single-member electorates and
from party lists leading to a parliament where a party’s
2003 demonstrated, according to some observers, New
Zealand’s value not only in political and diplomatic terms
share of the seats roughly mirrors its share of the overall
but also as a military partner in the field. New Zealand also
party vote. New Zealand does not have a state or provincial
level of government. The current government is a coalition
demonstrated such support through its deployment of
military trainers in Iraq.
of the Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern,
and the New Zealand First Party, led by Winston Peters.
This coalition has a confidence and supply agreement with
New Zealand released a Strategic Defence Policy Statement
in July 2018 that one report called “more bold and frank in
the Green Party and has been in power since October 2017.
terms of the Government’s foreign policy position, and its
singling out of countries, than anything a New Zealand
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New Zealand
government has released in recent years.” The Policy
New Zealand has played a key role in promoting peace,
Statement observes that “As Pacific island countries’
stability, development, and the environment in the South
relationships with non-traditional partners continue to
Pacific. It played a key role in promoting security in Timor-
develop, traditional partners such as New Zealand and
Leste, Bougainville, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.
Australia will be challenged to maintain influence.”
New Zealand is working with Australia and other nations in
Specifically, the Policy Statement notes that “China’s more
the South Pacific on the Pacific Agreement on Closer
confident assertion of its interests has at times raised
Economic Relations (PACER)–Plus. New Zealand also
tensions with neighbouring states and with the United
provides disaster assistance to the region as it did to Fiji
States.” The statement drew objections from China but was
following the February 2016 Cyclone Winston. New
defended by New Zealand First Party leader Peters.
Zealand supports the Pacific Island’s Forum and sustainable
economic development, including for sustainable fisheries
Bilateral Relations with the United
in the South Pacific. New Zealand has protested Japan’s
States
decision to resume whaling in the Southern Ocean, and has
The gradual return of close security cooperation between
set aside 15% of New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone
the United States and New Zealand since 2003 has helped
for the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary.
forge a new security partnership between the two countries.
The two nations have fought together in many wars and
In February 2018 Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s
conflicts and established the Australia-New Zealand-United
government announced a reset of New Zealand’s policy
States (ANZUS) alliance in 1951. During the mid-1980s the
toward the Pacific that is driven in part by a view that “the
United States suspended its alliance commitments to New
Pacific has become an increasingly contested strategic
Zealand as a result of differences over nuclear policy,
space, under which New Zealand has to work harder to
stemming from New Zealand legislation that made it
maintain our positive influence.” In discussing the Pacific
nuclear free and the United States’ policy of neither
reset, Foreign Minister Winston Peters called for a
confirming nor denying the presence of nuclear weapons on
reenergized approach and stated, “There has never been a
U.S. Navy ships.
time since 1945 when Australia and New Zealand need to
work together more closely in the Pacific.”
The Wellington Declaration of 2010 was a key turning
point in United States-New Zealand relations. After 2010,
Relations with China
the United States and New Zealand agreed to emphasize
Trade is at the core of New Zealand’s relationship with
common interests and values, including the importance of
China. New Zealand’s goods exports to China quadrupled
democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, rather than
since the signing of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement
let differences over nuclear policy define the relationship.
between the two countries in 2008. Chinese Premier Li
The Wellington Declaration established in a public way a
Keqiang visited New Zealand in March 2017 reportedly to
new strategic partnership. It stated that “our shared
discuss strengthening trade through the FTA upgrade and
democratic values and common interests” will guide the
the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative which is now
two nations’ collective action. The agreement pointed to the
known as the Belt and Road Initiative. On March 27, 2017,
need to address regional and global challenges including
New Zealand signed a memorandum of understanding with
enhanced dialogue on regional security, practical
China on China’s OBOR initiative. In 2015, New Zealand
cooperation in the Pacific, Foreign Ministers meetings,
became a founding member of the China-led Asia
political-military discussions, and cooperation on climate
Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
change, nuclear proliferation, and international extremism.
Diplomatic relations between New Zealand and China have
The 2012 Washington Declaration on Defense Cooperation
become strained over the past year, in part due to rising
further opened the way for enhanced strategic dialogue and
concerns about Chinese influence in New Zealand and its
defense cooperation. This positive momentum has been
region. In November 2018 New Zealand’s Government
sustained by subsequent developments. In July 2018, New
Communications Security Bureau stopped a New Zealand
Zealand announced the purchase of four Boeing P-8A
telecommunications provider from using Huawei
Poseidon aircraft.
equipment. Prime Minister Ardern made her first official
visit to China in April 2019. During the visit the two
Regional Relations
nations agreed to move forward with negotiations to
New Zealand enjoys very close relations with Australia, its
upgrade their bilateral free trade agreement which went into
neighbor across the Tasman Sea. These trans-Tasman ties
effect in 2008. A key challenge for New Zealand will be to
are based in the two nations’ common origin as British
balance growing concerns over China’s influence in the
colonies. These ties were strengthened as the two nations
South Pacific and in New Zealand with China’s role as New
fought together in the Australian New Zealand Army Corp
Zealand’s largest export destination.
(ANZAC) in places like Gallipoli in World War I. This
relationship evolved into what is known as the ANZAC
Bruce Vaughn, Specialist in Asian Affairs
spirit of close defense cooperation. The close economic,
people-to-people, and cultural ties, as well as a shared love
IF10389
of rugby, cricket, and other sport, further reinforce bilateral
relations between these two states.

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New Zealand



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