Interesting article but I believe China has far bigger fish to fry than insignificant New Zealand, even as a part of Five Eyes.
Foreign Minister Mahuta's reply was very mild in comparison to China's Foreign Ministry's aggressive rhetoric, and the Prime Minister referred to "our mature relationship" almost apologetically...
I mean let's face it, NZ is a joke - pretending to have its own sovereign foreign policy, when it can't even defend its share of the necessary defence partnership load with Australia, let alone interact credibly with the US as a non-ally. (Despite excellent progress by Ron Mark as MOD).
We need an ANZUS II and we need to credibly re-arm (including a new air-strike wing) and prepare for whats coming
from an increasingly aggressive President Xi in the future...(or wait until the China moderates force him out - see previous page "The Weakness of President Xi within China, the bungled handling of the Covid virus and a plan to deal to his hardline faction").
New-Zealand's Dangerous Strategic Apathy in an Uncertain Age
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/ne...uncertain-age/