Jacinda Ardern says differences with China becoming 'harder to reconcile'

New Zealand's prime minister took a tougher stance on China's human rights record by saying it was getting harder to reconcile differences as China's role in the world grows. While Jacinda Ardern's language remained moderate compared to many other leaders, it still marked a significant shift for a country that relies on China as its largest trading partner. In her speech to the China Business Summit in Auckland, Ardern said New Zealand has raised ‘grave’ concerns with China on human rights issues, including the situation of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region and people who live in Hong Kong. In past speeches, Ardern has often avoided direct criticism of China

[proudwumao]

China has banned Australian wheat, barley, red wine, and coal, but the United States has increased its exports to China. The United States thanks Australia for its generosity.

[jackytang]

I'm sure she suffered pressures from Other members of Five eyes

[peregrineslim]

Boris Johnson has certainly pulled the one thousand pound wallpaper over some people's eyes.

[johnalexander]

She forgot to add at the end ‘all that said, they have tons of money and we want some of it’

[ThisIsStrikeZone]

Meanwhile my Indian PM is growing his beard and watching people die.

[kycheng]

As a Hong Kong citizen, and an ordinary people in Hong Kong, I don't see any reduction of Human rights compared to the time before 1997.
Anti-government parties are still able to make their protest and fund raising on some of the busiest area in HK, say, Mongkok, and Causeway Bay. No police or other government departments interrupted.

[seankilburn]

The amount of pro Chinese commenters is worrying

[bengoacher]

So why did NZ fail to join the UK, USA, Canada and Aus in renouncing China for it's human rights abuses? I would say it's all talk and no trouser, but its not even all talk, its half talk.

[maximthefox]

"Look we know it looks bad but we make too much money from China so don't expect any real change from us" okay thanks for the update

[DineshTwanabasu]

The main difference between the western leaders and Chinese leaders is: Chinese leaders talk about infrastructures, development, business and cooperation, while the western leaders talk about human rights, Taiwan, democracy, freedom which are internal issues of China. Western leaders should first see their own face in the mirror first.

[jeffd]

When were the differences "not hard" to reconcile? When was the CCP "mostly peaceful"?

[peregrineslim]

So how does changing unilaterally the President of Venezuela for a pro-Washington stooge compatible with a rules-based system?

[nniosalier]

Xi's fifth column is hitting this comment section really hard.

[jmhlin]

Eventually, she needs to pick a side. Either her old pals or this new friend who said he is rich. Is this new "friend" truly worth to break up with your old friends? I would say watch your back. Australia is a great example.

[truthsupporter]

Jacinda was just putting on an act, she joined up in alliance with the CCP straight after she said this.

[Antwan]

So much jealousy for her not being my PM everytime I watch her 😩

[wayneshilcock]

We are going to have to choose at some point, who we are partnering with as the US goes more Authoritarian and China starts to come out of the shadows. There are many things I don't trust China with, because most has been kept very quiet, unlike the US and UK that have now become more emboldened to carry out their Hegemony on the rest of the world knowing they are losing the trade, technology, financial and now slowly growing in the military to rival the US. The question is do we want to be associated with a criminal organization called the US or a growing semi authoritarian called China.

[I-AM-YOUR-MOM]

What she means is that she will continue looking the other way as long as there will still be money to earn.

[shansui]

The intended audience is America 🇺🇸... NZ seems like to care about human rights, so please speak up for those farmers who's cotton in Xinjian got slandered by those American organizations. And please speak against those hateful and divisive media companies that tore HK society apart, and they are tearing the western countries apart too 👌👌

[meangel]

So poor! New Zealand had this Minister！