New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, urged the United States to remain engaged and to be an “active partner” of the Pacific.
During his recent visit to Hawaii, Peters emphasized New Zealand’s commitment to the Pacific. He stated, as quoted by the East-West Center website, that “New Zealand wants—indeed needs—the United States to remain an active, engaged, and constructive partner in the Indo-Pacific.”
Peters acknowledged the uncertainty and anxiety surrounding U.S. policy toward the Pacific, which has arisen due to the recent change in administration as well as shifts in positions on development spending and tariffs.
“Our message to both our American friends and our Pacific family is a timeless one,” he said. “As we navigate the challenges we face today, let us remember our collective purpose: to pursue and protect a free, democratic, open, prosperous, and resilient Pacific.”
Minister Peters led a cross-party New Zealand political delegation during his trip to the Pacific.
While in Honolulu, he met with various officials, including Hawaii’s Governor Joshua Green, Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Dr. James Scott, Interim President of the East-West Center, and representatives from Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands based in Hawaii. (By: Bernadette Carreon)