Ryan Bridge: Our leaders should be attending APEC even in caretaker mode

Trump's going. Xi's going. Even Putin will be there.

But what about Christopher Luxon or Chris Hipkins?

The APEC Leaders meeting is next week up in China. Shenzhen.

They're a great thing for a trading nation like ours to be involved in.

We get access. We get bi-laterals on the sidelines.

Leaders eat together and sit together and build relationships.

We are in caretaker mode at the moment but should send Luxon and/or McClay.

Hell, why not send Hipkins too if that'll make it work.

All the leaders have basically said they're not doing much in the way of negotiations before the 27th so there's no good reason we shouldn't get to APEC.

Especially with the arguably the three most consequential leaders in the world present at a time when their actions, through war and trade, are responsible for doubling oil prices and choking gas to our friends in Europe.

Hong Kong is 11 hours from Auckland. Then you nip over to Shenzhen. You'd be there and back in a jiffy.

Back with plenty of time to form a government.

One with better intel on what's happening in the world and closer links with the leaders calling the shots.

Ryan Bridge is a New Zealand broadcaster who has worked on many current affairs television and radio shows. He currently hosts Newstalk ZB's Early Edition - where this article was sourced.