Pacific must not become a ‘military zone’ amid rise of China, New Zealand’s deputy PM warns

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The Pacific must be protected from becoming a military zone amid China’s growing push for influence in the region, New Zealand’s top diplomat Winston Peters has warned ahead of a meeting with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong. Peters, who is New Zealand’s deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, told the Guardian that his country has a good relationship with China. “But the reality is, as the geostrategic shape of the world changes, we do not want the Pacific to become the grounds for competition,” Peters said. Peters said the Pacific was known as a region of peace “and we...