In China-US rivalry, NZ remains isolated but not insulated

China’s pursuit of global strength under Xi Jinping marks a transition from Deng Xiaoping’s era of wealth creation to a period defined by challenging the US-led international order. Beijing leverages global turbulence and perceived American unreliability to position itself as a stable alternative, while simultaneously supporting Russia in Ukraine to reshape Eurasian security. For nations like New Zealand, this geopolitical shift necessitates a delicate balancing act between economic ties with China and security reliance on the United States. Sam Chetwin-George, a senior fellow at the Asia Society, argues that New Zealand must prioritize strategic autonomy and diversify its partnerships to navigate this "age of anarchy." As China’s influence grows, its focus on critical minerals, maritime access, and intelligence-sharing alliances underscores the urgency for smaller nations to build deeper analytical capabilities to understand the motivations of a rising, interventionist power.