New Zealand’s change of heart, differences with China increasingly difficult to bridge

New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern expressed grave concern Monday (May 3) about the human rights situation of the Uighur people in Xinjiang and the freedom of the people of Hong Kong, saying it was becoming increasingly difficult to bridge differences with China (Reconcile).

As China’s role in the world continues to evolve and change, the differences between our institutions, and the interests and values that shape those institutions, will not escape the attention of anyone here, and it is increasingly difficult to bridge,” Ardern noted while attending a China business summit in Auckland.

She argued that China and New Zealand “do not, cannot, and will not agree” on certain issues, but argued that these differences need not define the relationship. She also argued that bonding with China is a challenge not only for New Zealand, but also for many other countries in the Indo-Pacific region.