New Zealand is emerging from "strategic isolation" due to the growing Chinese expansion in the South Pacific and Antarctic regions

On November 27, 2024, the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand stated that the state will face "inevitable negative consequences" of an economic, political, and defense nature if Wellington joins the AUKUS nuclear technology coalition.

It came shortly after New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon emphasized that he would not be concerned about Xi Jinping's opinion when deciding whether to join AUKUS and that relevant negotiations with the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia were ongoing.

This includes 32 negotiating meetings held by New Zealand in 2024. If agreed, New Zealand will share the course of joining AUKUS with Japan, South Korea, and Canada.

Despite belonging to NATO's IP4 group (Japan, South Korea, and Australia), New Zealand remains one of the United States' most problematic defense allies.