Updated February 21, 2023
New Zealand
Congress has taken an interest in how the United States and
Figure 1. New Zealand in Brief
New Zealand work together in bilateral, regional, and
global contexts to address common concerns 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. 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.
Background
Ardern’s government, with 65 of 120 seats in parliament,
New Zealand and the United States have common historical
was the first to rule in its own right since the institution of
roots as settler societies of the British Empire. New
MMP. The opposition center-right National Party, led by
Zealand, also known to New Zealanders as Aotearoa or “the
Christopher Luxon, had been gaining in popularity at the
land of the long white cloud,” was first settled by the
end of Ardern’s term of office. Hipkins’s popularity has,
Polynesian-Maori people around the tenth century. Dutch
according to polls, closed the gap between Labour and the
navigator Abel Tasman discovered the western coast of
National Party. Hipkins has asserted that he will focus on
New Zealand in 1642, but it was English Captain James
the economy. He retained Nanaia Mahuta as foreign
Cook who, over three expeditions in 1769, 1773, and 1777,
minister and made his first international trip as prime
circumnavigated and mapped the islands. The 1840 Treaty
minister to Australia in February 2023. In Australia he
of Waitangi, between the British Crown and indigenous
stressed continuity, stating that “our foreign policy position
Maori Chiefs, serves as the basis for relations between the
hasn’t changed just because there is a change of prime
Maori and European communities. The British Monarch,
minister.”
King Charles III, is the constitutional head of state of New
Zealand. His representative, the Governor General, acts on
Climate Change
the advice of the New Zealand Prime Minister’s Cabinet.
In 2019, the Ardern government passed the Zero Carbon
New Zealand attained Dominion Status in 1907 and gained
Act with cross-party support and committed New Zealand
full political independence from Britain under the 1947
to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050. Methane from
Statute of Westminster Adoption Act. In 1893, New
agriculture and waste, which represents over 40% of New
Zealand became the first self-governing country to grant all
Zealand’s emissions, was exempt from the zero emissions
women the right to vote.
goal, but has a separate reduction target of 24%-47% below
2017 levels by 2050. In December 2020, New Zealand
Politics and Elections
declared a climate emergency and committed the
New Zealand is a unicameral, mixed-member-proportional
government to become carbon neutral by 2025. New
(MMP), parliamentary democracy. MMP was introduced in
Zealand has a renewable electricity target of 100% by 2035.
New Zealand in 1996. Under MMP, Members of
Parliament come from both single-member electorates and
Defense and Foreign Policy
from party lists, leading to a parliament in which a party’s
New Zealand places much emphasis on multilateral
share of the seats roughly mirrors its share of the overall
processes and regional economic institutions while
vote. New Zealand does not have a state or provincial level
Australia and the United States figure prominently in New
of government. The current government is led by Prime
Zealand’s security affairs. New Zealand’s commitment of
Minister Chris Hipkins of the Labour Party, who became
troops and assistance in support of the Provincial
prime minister following Jacinda Ardern’s resignation in
Reconstruction Team in Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan,
January 2023. Elections are planned for October 2023.
from 2003 to 2013 demonstrated, according to observers,
New Zealand’s value as a diplomatic and military partner.
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New Zealand
New Zealand also deployed military trainers in Iraq. The
New Zealand has played a key role in promoting peace,
Ardern government increased defense spending during its
stability, economic development, and the environment in
term. Ardern condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and
the South Pacific, including in Timor-Leste, Papua New
joined international partners in imposing export controls on
Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. New Zealand worked
trade with Russia and travel bans on Russian officials, as
with Australia and South Pacific nations on the Pacific
well as offering humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER)–plus,
a free trade accord that came into force in December 2020.
The Ardern government initiated a Defence Review in July
New Zealand provides disaster assistance to the region and
2022 that is expected to culminate in a new Defence White
supports the Pacific Islands Forum, the region’s principal
Paper and Defence Capability Plan. Some observers have
multilateral organization. New Zealand also set aside 15%
speculated that the process could lead New Zealand to
of its Exclusive Economic Zone for the Kermadec Ocean
adopt a more proactive stance in the South Pacific. New
Sanctuary to protect a critical regional ecosystem.
Zealand’s 2021 Defence Assessment viewed strategic
competition and climate change as New Zealand’s two
New Zealand has a trade-dependent economy and is a
principal challenges. The 2021 assessment prioritized a
supporter of free and open trade. China is New Zealand’s
focus on the Pacific and viewed China’s rise as the major
largest trade partner. New Zealand has a Closer Economic
driver of increasing strategic competition in the region. A
Relationship agreement with Australia, has a free trade
cross-agency governance group is to provide the minister of
agreement (FTA) with China, and is a member of the
defence a Defence Policy and Strategy Statement and a
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-
Future Force Design Principles Statement for cabinet
Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Asia Pacific Economic
approval by mid-2023.
Cooperation (APEC) group, among other trade
relationships. New Zealand ratified the 15-nation Regional
Relations with the United States
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement,
The gradual return of close cooperation between the United
which does not include the United States, in November
States and New Zealand since 2003 has helped forge a new
2021 and signed an FTA with the United Kingdom in
security partnership between the two countries. The two
February 2022.
nations have fought together in many wars and conflicts
and, along with Australia, established the Australia-New
Relations with China
Zealand-United States (ANZUS) alliance in 1951. During
A key challenge for New Zealand is balancing concerns
the mid-1980s, the United States suspended its alliance
over China’s growing influence with its role as New
commitments to New Zealand as a result of differences
Zealand’s largest export destination. New Zealand’s goods
over nuclear policy, stemming from a conflict between New
exports to China quadrupled since the signing of the
Zealand legislation that made it nuclear free and the United
bilateral FTA in 2008. In 2015, New Zealand became a
States’ policy of neither confirming nor denying the
founding member of the China-led Asia Infrastructure
presence of nuclear weapons on U.S. ships. In the 2010
Investment Bank (AIIB). In 2017, New Zealand signed a
Wellington Declaration, the United States and New Zealand
memorandum of understanding with China on China’s Belt
agreed to emphasize the importance of democracy, human
and Road Initiative. While diplomatic relations between
rights, and the rule of law, rather than let differences over
New Zealand and China have become somewhat strained,
nuclear policy define the relationship. The 2012
in part due to rising concerns about Chinese influence in
Washington Declaration further opened the way for
New Zealand and the region, New Zealand has at times
enhanced strategic dialogue and cooperation. Subsequent
sought to chart a middle path with China. Concerns in New
U.S. and New Zealand administrations have sustained this
Zealand about human rights situations in Hong Kong and
momentum with a focus on shared challenges. For example,
Xinjiang have also complicated relations. A Royal New
during their May 2022 meeting, President Biden and then-
Zealand Navy frigate joined the United Kingdom’s carrier
Prime Minister Ardern expressed concern about a security
strike group, centered on the HMS Queen Elizabeth, as it
agreement between China and the Solomon Islands. New
sailed through the South China Sea in October 2021.
Zealand took delivery of the first of four Boeing P-8A
Poseidon aircraft in December 2022. The United States uses
Congressional Interest
Christchurch as a logistics hub to support research on
Congress has focused on New Zealand’s role as a like-
Antarctica. New Zealand signed the Artemis Accords in
minded democracy, regional trade partner, and ally.
2021, establishing principles for space cooperation.
Congress has also demonstrated its interest through the
Congressional Friends of New Zealand Caucus. Proposed
Regional Relations
legislation has emphasized the United States’ and New
New Zealand enjoys close relations with Australia, its
Zealand’s shared values of democracy, respect for human
neighbor across the Tasman Sea, based to a large extent on
rights, adherence to the rule of law, and shared commitment
the two nations’ common origins as British colonies. These
to free and fair trade and the international trading system.
ties were strengthened as the two nations fought together in
Congress passed the Knowledgeable Innovators and
the Australian New Zealand Army Corp (ANZAC) in
Worthy Investors (KIWI) Act (P.L. 115-226) in 2018.
places like Gallipoli in World War I. This relationship
evolved into what is known as the “ANZAC spirit” of close
Bruce Vaughn, Specialist in Asian Affairs
defense cooperation. The close economic, people-to-people,
and cultural ties, as well as a shared love of rugby, cricket,
IF10389
and other sport, further reinforce ties.
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New Zealand
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10389 · VERSION 11 · UPDATED