Updated March 3, 2022
New Zealand
Congress has taken an interest in how the United States and
of government. The current government, first elected in
New Zealand work together in bilateral, regional, and
2017 and reelected in October 2020, is led by Prime
global contexts to address common interests in the areas of
defense, foreign affairs, and trade. Bilateral and multilateral
military-to-military 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 2016 visit of the USS Sampson, the first U.S.
warship to visit New Zealand in more than 30 years. More
recently, the Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer USS Howard
visited Wellington in 2021. This strengthening of relations
has been building since New Zealand’s commitment of
military forces to Afghanistan in 2003. New Zealand is a
member of the Five Eyes intelligence group along with the
United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Many believe this return to close cooperation has put to rest
past differences over nuclear policy.
Minister Jacinda Ardern of the Labour Party. Ardern’s
Background
government, with 65 of 120 seats in parliament, is the first
to rule in its own right since the institution of MMP. The
New Zealand and the United States have common historical
opposition center-right National Party is led by Chris
roots as settler societies of the British Empire. New
Luxon. Ardern achieved high approval ratings as a result of
Zealand, also known to New Zealanders as Aotearoa or “the
her government’s effective handling of the Coronavirus
land of the long white cloud,” was first settled by the
Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as well as her earlier
Polynesian-Maori people around the tenth century. Dutch
handling of the Christchurch massacre. In 2019, a 28-year-
navigator Abel Tasman discovered the western coast of
old Australian described as a white supremacist attacked the
New Zealand in 1642, but it was English Captain James
Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre in
Cook who, over three expeditions in 1769, 1773, and 1777,
Christchurch and killed 51 people. Following the attacks,
circumnavigated and mapped the islands. The 1840 Treaty
parliament passed legislation outlawing military style semi-
of Waitangi, between the British Crown and indigenous
automatic weapons and assault rifles.
Maori Chiefs, serves as the basis for relations between the
Maori and European communities. The British Monarch,
Climate Change
Queen Elizabeth II, is the constitutional head of state of
In 2019, the Ardern government passed the Zero Carbon
New Zealand. Her representative, the Governor General,
Act with cross-party support and committed New Zealand
acts on the advice of the New Zealand Prime Minister’s
to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050. Methane from
Cabinet. New Zealand attained Dominion Status in 1907
agriculture and waste, which represents over 40% of New
and gained full political independence from Britain under
Zealand’s emissions, was exempt from the zero emissions
the 1947 Statute of Westminster Adoption Act. In 1893,
goal, but has a separate reduction target of 24%-47% below
New Zealand became the first self-governing country to
2017 levels by 2050. In December 2020, New Zealand
grant all women the right to vote.
declared a climate emergency and committed the
Politics and Elections
government to become carbon neutral by 2025. New
Zealand has a renewable electricity target of 100% by 2035.
New Zealand is a unicameral, mixed-member-proportional
(MMP), parliamentary democracy. MMP was introduced in
Defense and Foreign Policy
New Zealand in 1996. Under MMP, Members of
In part because New Zealand is a small nation, officials
Parliament come from both single-member electorates and
place much emphasis on multilateral processes and regional
from party lists leading to a parliament in which a party’s
economic institutions, and Australia and the United States
share of the seats roughly mirrors its share of the overall
figure prominently in New Zealand’s security affairs. New
vote. New Zealand does not have a state or provincial level
Zealand’s commitment of regular troops and other
assistance in support of the Provincial Reconstruction Team
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New Zealand
in Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan, from 2003 to 2013
spirit” of close defense cooperation. The close economic,
demonstrated, according to some observers, New Zealand’s
people-to-people, and cultural ties, as well as a shared love
value as a diplomatic and military partner to the United
of rugby, cricket, and other sport, further reinforce ties.
States. New Zealand also demonstrated such support
through its deployment of military trainers in Iraq. New
New Zealand has played a key role in promoting peace,
Zealand’s 2021 Defence Assessment views strategic
stability, economic development, and the environment in
competition and climate change as New Zealand’s two
the South Pacific, including in Timor-Leste, Papua New
principle challenges and prioritizes a focus on the Pacific. It
Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. New Zealand worked
also views China’s rise as the major driver of increasing
with Australia and South Pacific nations on the Pacific
strategic competition in the region. In its 2018 Strategic
Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER)–Plus,
Defense Policy Statement, which one report called “more
a free trade accord, which came into force in December
bold and frank in terms of the Government’s foreign policy
2020. New Zealand provides disaster assistance to the
position … than anything a New Zealand government has
region and supports the Pacific Islands Forum, the region’s
released in recent years,” the New Zealand government
principal multilateral organization. New Zealand has also
observes that, “As Pacific Island countries’ relationships
has set aside 15% of its Exclusive Economic Zone for the
with non-traditional partners continue to develop,
Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary.
traditional partners such as New Zealand and Australia will
be challenged to maintain influence.” Specifically, the
New Zealand has a trade-dependent economy and is a
Policy Statement notes that “China’s more confident
supporter of free and open trade. China is New Zealand’s
assertion of its interests has at times raised tensions with
largest trade partner. New Zealand has a Closer Economic
neighboring states and with the United States.”
Relationship agreement with Australia, a Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) with China, and is a member of the
In late February, the Adern government condemned the
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-
Russian invasion of Ukraine and joined international
Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Asia Pacific Economic
partners in imposing export controls on trade with Russia
Cooperation (APEC) group among other trade
and travel bans on Russian officials, as well as offering
relationships. New Zealand ratified the 15-nation Regional
humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement
in November 2021 and signed an FTA with the United
Bilateral Relations with the United
Kingdom in February 2022.
States
The gradual return of close cooperation between the United
Relations with China
States and New Zealand since 2003 has helped forge a new
A key challenge for New Zealand is balancing concerns
security partnership between the two countries. The two
over China’s growing influence with its role as New
nations have fought together in many wars and conflicts
Zealand’s largest export destination. New Zealand’s goods
and, along with Australia, established the Australia-New
exports to China quadrupled since the signing of a bilateral
Zealand-United States (ANZUS) alliance in 1951. During
FTA in 2008. In 2015, New Zealand became a founding
the mid-1980s, the United States suspended its alliance
member of the China-led Asia Infrastructure Investment
commitments to New Zealand as a result of differences
Bank (AIIB). In 2017, New Zealand signed a memorandum
over nuclear policy, stemming from a conflict between New
of understanding with China on China’s Belt and Road
Zealand legislation that made it nuclear free and the United
Initiative. More recently, diplomatic relations between New
States’ policy of neither confirming nor denying the
Zealand and China have become somewhat strained, in part
presence of nuclear weapons on U.S. ships.
due to rising concerns about Chinese influence in New
Zealand and the region. New Zealand concerns about the
The Wellington Declaration of 2010 was a key turning
human rights situations in Hong Kong and Xinjiang have
point in United States-New Zealand relations. In the
also complicated relations. A Royal New Zealand Navy
Declaration, the United States and New Zealand agreed to
frigate joined the United Kingdom’s carrier strike group,
emphasize the importance of democracy, human rights, and
centered on the HMS Queen Elizabeth, as it sailed through
the rule of law, rather than let differences over nuclear
the South China Sea in October 2021.
policy define the relationship. The 2012 Washington
Declaration further opened the way for enhanced strategic
Congressional Interest
dialogue and cooperation. This momentum has been
Congress has focused on New Zealand’s role as a like-
sustained by subsequent U.S. and New Zealand
minded democracy, regional trade partner, and ally.
administrations. In 2018, New Zealand announced the
Congressional interest is also demonstrated through the
purchase of four Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft.
Congressional Friends of New Zealand Caucus. Proposed
legislation has emphasized the United States’ and New
Regional Relations
Zealand’s shared values of democracy, respect for human
New Zealand enjoys very close relations with Australia, its
rights, adherence to the rule of law and a shared
neighbor across the Tasman Sea. These trans-Tasman ties
commitment to free and fair trade and the international
are based in the two nations’ common origins as British
rules-based trading system. Some Members of Congress
colonies. These ties were strengthened as the two nations
have also recognized New Zealand’s role as a key partner
fought together in the Australian New Zealand Army Corp
of the United States in Oceania and urged coordination with
(ANZAC) in places like Gallipoli in World War I. This
New Zealand as a regional ally and partner.
relationship evolved into what is known as the “ANZAC
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New Zealand
IF10389
Bruce Vaughn, Specialist in Asian Affairs
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10389 · VERSION 10 · UPDATED