Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently held a meeting with New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters. The discussions focused on enhancing defense cooperation, particularly through burden sharing, to enable closer collaboration between the two countries' militaries. This initiative aims to bolster security and economic strength in the Pacific region.
The meeting also addressed the importance of their trade relationship. Secretary Rubio highlighted maritime challenges, emphasizing that "the ultimate trade barrier is the inability to transit sea lanes." Both parties recognized the significance of cooperating on emerging technologies, with particular attention given to New Zealand's space sector.
The dialogue reaffirmed the strong partnership between the United States and New Zealand and their shared commitment to regional stability. Secretary Rubio tweeted about the productive nature of the meeting, noting its focus on defense cooperation, Pacific security, economic strength, and New Zealand's space sector.
Deputy Prime Minister Peters expressed satisfaction with the discussions in a tweet, highlighting that they came to listen to the new Administration and clarify what is important for New Zealand. He described the talks as substantive and productive.