New Zealand has been approached by the US to join the AUKUS alliance in the cyber arena, according to Kurt Campbell, Joe Biden’s National Security Council co-ordinator for the Indo Pacific. The AUKUS pact, which was recently signed between Australia, the UK, and the US, involves the development of cutting-edge technologies, including hypersonics and nuclear submarines. Campbell said that the US was now looking for other working group partners. However, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, has expressed skepticism about the AUKUS alliance, citing New Zealand’s nuclear-free policy and saying that the country prefers to pursue its own independent foreign policy.
The AUKUS pact has also faced criticism from former Australian prime ministers Paul Keating and Malcolm Turnbull, who have questioned how Australia can maintain its sovereignty in the deal. Meanwhile, Australia’s Minister of Defence Richard Marles has said that the country did not gain access to American submarines by promising to join any potential conflict over Taiwan. Under the AUKUS pact, Australia will receive three American-made Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines and will build up to eight more domestically.
New Zealand, which is increasingly reliant on commercial shipping hubs in Australia for the transport of its imports and exports, is also concerned about how the AUKUS pact could affect the region’s stability. The country’s government has emphasized its commitment to pursuing an independent foreign policy that is not aligned with any major power blocs.
