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New Zealand's Peters urges strong US role in Pacific
Peters said Washington should help Pacific nations counter drug trafficking and security threats, citing $150 million in U.S. support announced in Palau.
On Monday, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters warned of a "troubled and unsettled" world, calling for increased United States engagement in the Pacific to counter unwelcome geopolitical maneuvering in the region.
These comments reflect the government's increasingly direct language on geopolitical competition in the Pacific, where China has expanded its diplomatic, economic, and security presence in recent years.
Washington announced $150 million in support for Pacific Islands in Palau, while Peters emphasized the need for American help to disrupt drug trafficking, which he called an "evil scourge" washing across the region.
Ahead of the November 7 election, the veteran New Zealand First leader condemned China's recent intercontinental ballistic missile test in the South Pacific, which Xinhua described as a "routine arrangement."
New Zealanders are living in a world roiled by economic disruption and trade protectionism, Peters noted, as the nation seeks to reinforce its regional role through aid and diplomacy while urging partners to listen to island governments.