Brian Easton: Balancing External Security and the Economy

New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China?

For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. Britain, then the international hegemon, provided the security and the main export market together with the capital which flowed into this country. New Zealand even twice fought on the other side of the world (three times if you include the South African War) as a part of the deal.