New Zealand is aware of intelligence activity linked to China in and against the island nation and the Pacific region, it said in a report released on Friday.
“This is a complex intelligence concern for New Zealand,” the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) said in the annual report.
The Chinese embassy in Wellington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The accusations leveled against China are the latest in a string of recent comments from the country’s government outlining concerns about China’s assertive behaviour and its destabilising impact.
New Zealand, part of the Five Eyes intelligence and security alliance that includes Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States, has historically taken a more conciliatory approach towards China, its biggest trading partner, but in recent months has more often raised concerns publicly about the country’s actions.
The report, titled “New Zealand’s Security Threat Environment 2023”, is being made public for the first time as part of a government shift to better inform New Zealanders about risks the country is facing, and comes two months before a general election where foreign policy is being pushed into the electoral spotlight.–Reuters
