New Zealand lays out ‘understand, partner and act’ defence roadmap

The New Zealand government published the defence roadmap alongside a Future Force Design Principles 2023 and the National Security Strategy, Secure Together – Tō Tātou Korowai Manaaki, earlier this month.

The Defence Policy Strategy Statement indicates there are four key interests to be promoted and protected, such as a secure, sovereign New Zealand; a stable and resilient region; collective security through a strong network of partners; and a strong, effective international rules-based system.

The statement also details plans for NZ Defence to act proactively to deliver three objectives of promoting and protecting NZ defence interests, contributing globally to collective security efforts, and responding to events in New Zealand, the region, and globally where required.

It details two critical threats to NZ of strategic competition and impacts of climate change.

“The world today is contending with a range of complex and disruptive security challenges,” Prime Minister and Minister for National Security and Intelligence Chris Hipkins said.

“In recent years, our country has experienced terrorist attacks, growing disinformation, and cyber attacks on critical national infrastructure.

“The domestic and international security environment has changed and our preparedness needs to change too; to be clear-eyed on risks and to put in place the right capabilities to be effective.

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“The earlier we act, the more secure New Zealand will be for our children and grandchildren.

“As we scan the international horizon, we need to keep our eyes wide open to the emerging issues and threats to New Zealand and our interests.

“These emerging threats do not require an entirely new foreign policy response. Our independent position, coupled with targeted investments and strengthened ties with partners and allies, puts us in a strong position to face the future.

“These plans represent an important step in how we are protecting our national security and advancing our national interests in a more contested and more difficult world.”

The Defence Policy Strategy Statement confirms that NZ’s relationship with China is significant and essential cooperation will continue, however, the PRC’s “assertive pursuit of its strategic objectives” is a major driver towards strategic competition among states in the region.

“Beijing continues to invest heavily in growing and modernising its military and is increasingly able to project military and paramilitary force beyond its immediate region, including across the wider Indo-Pacific,” the document said.

“The wider Indo-Pacific is now the central global theatre for strategic competition. Indo-Pacific states are rapidly investing in their military and security capabilities in response to the range of security challenges they are facing.

“Intensifying strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific is increasing the potential for confrontation and means conflict could occur, potentially with little warning.

“Potential triggers include increasing tensions relating to Taiwan, maritime tensions and competing claims in the South and East China Seas, and ongoing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, exacerbated by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear weapon and missile programs.

“Even without deliberate intent, tactical miscalculation could lead to conflict with consequences that could spread across the region, including into the Pacific.

“Heightened competition and tensions in disputed areas of the Indo-Pacific pose potentially significant impacts for New Zealand’s interests.

“Over recent years, the Pacific has become increasingly significant as a theatre for strategic competition. The Chinese government in particular has sought to grow its political, economic, and security influence in the Pacific at the expense of more traditional partners such as New Zealand and Australia.”

The document identified key climate effects such as rising temperatures, melting ice, sea level rise, ocean acidification, intensifying cyclones, changing rainfall patterns, and increasing wildfires. Environmental impacts of concern included coral bleaching, shifting fish stocks and marine life, coastal erosion, decline in agricultural productivity, decline in freshwater resources, declining efficiency of natural carbon sinks, biodiversity loss, and wildfire.

Other factors putting pressure on international security included the COVID-19 pandemic, state and non-state competition for natural resources, technological advances, disinformation, terrorism and violent extremism, and trans-national organised crime.

Key international partnerships outlined in the Defence Policy Strategy Statement include its only formal defence ally of Australia, crucial defence partner the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Canada as part of the Five Eyes partnership, ASEAN, Five Power Defence Arrangements, and Pacific Partnership members.

To achieve its defence policy objectives, the document outlines a strategy of “Understand, Partner and Act” by increased strategic awareness, collective security approaches, and maintaining a credible combat-capable deployable force for humanitarian assistance and combat.