'I think this is catastrophically bad' - NZ's dependence on China hot topic during debate

October 9, 2020

The issue of China was one many of the leaders in tonight’s debate could agree on.

The issue of China was one Jami-Lee Ross, Winston Peters and David Seymour could agree on during last night TVNZ multi-party debate.

When asked if New Zealand depended on China too much and wasn’t calling them out on their human rights record, Ross and Peters agreed the government had been too slow in the past to stand up to China.

The Advance NZ Party leader said too much money from overseas was flowing into New Zealand politics and he believes it is corrupting it.

"We've put too many eggs in the China basket,” he said.

Coming down harder on China and calling them out on human rights issues was something New Zealand shouldn’t be afraid of, he added.

Peters said coming into government he’d seen the money which comes in from China, agreeing New Zealand depends too much on it.

“Jami-Lee Ross and I have seen the level of money and connections, the wiring diagrams to China…I think this is catastrophically bad.”

The NZ First Leader said New Zealand walked into a one-country market without their eyes-wide open.

He went on to defend his time as Foreign Minister saying he called out China’s human rights abuses.

“I’ve kept my country’s independence – that’s new now. It wasn’t that way before I got the job.”

ACT Party leader David Seymour said New Zealand needed to “carefully pivot” away from dependence on China.

However, Māori Party co-leader John Tamihere disagreed with the three leaders’ stance on China, saying the two nations needed to trade.

“They’re an outstanding and huge economy.”

He accused the three parties as being Trump-like with their stance on China.

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