Wellington: On September 25, the Aotearoa, one of just a handful of ships in the Royal New Zealand Navy, sailed through the Taiwan Strait alongside an Australian destroyer. The idea was to demonstrate to China that its claims to sole control of the waterway are invalid under international law. The United States does it several times a year, despite condemnations from China, sometimes with allies such as Canada. Australia does, too. New Zealand has not made such a bold move since 2017.

In an interview with The Economist, Christopher Luxon, New Zealand’s prime minister, notes that, as a small trading nation, New Zealand depends on freedom of navigation. All countries, he says, including China, need to adhere to international law. He plays down the voyage itself: he argues it was just the quickest way for the ship to sail from the East China Sea........

© The Sydney Morning Herald