Between 1949 and 1972, New Zealand recognised the Republic of China (ROC) as the official representative of China. Prior to 1949, the Qing Dynasty had established a consulate in Wellington to deal with trade, immigration, and the welfare of the local Chinese community. This mission continued to serve as the primary point of communication between Wellington and Taipei following 1949. Due to limited trading opportunities with Taiwan, New Zealand declined to establish any embassy or trading post in that state, preferring to conduct relations via its diplomatic mission in Hong Kong.[1]
In 1960, Prime MinisterKeith Holyoake undertook a state visit to Taiwan in 1960 and was hosted by ROC PresidentChiang Kai-shek. Holyoake had a favourable view of the ROC and upgraded the ROC consulate to full embassy status in 1962.[1] In 1966, New Zealand and the Republic of China helped found the Asian and Pacific Council (ASPAC), an anti-Communist consultative body.[2]
Despite interest from the New Zealand Labour Party, foreign affairs officials, and some private sector traders, the New Zealand Government declined to establish diplomatic relations or informal relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) until 1972 due to concern it would encourage the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia and its adherence to the American policy of not recognising the PRC.[3] In 1961, New Zealand unsuccessfully sponsored a dual recognition formula that would have allowed both Chinese governments to be represented at the United Nations. However, both Chinese governments rejected it due to the One China policy.[2]
Following the 1972 New Zealand general election, the Third Labour Government led by Prime Minister Norman Kirk switched recognition from the Republic of China to the People's Republic of China on 22 December 1972. As part of an agreement between New Zealand's ambassador to the United Nations John Scott and his Chinese counterpart Huang Hua, the two governments agreed that New Zealand could continue trade and other non-official contacts with Taiwan. In late January 1973, the ROC's last ambassador Konsin Shah and his staff left New Zealand, ending formal diplomatic relations between the two governments.[4]
Unofficial relations, 1972–present
In 1973, a private limited company called the East Asia Trade Centre Limited was established in Auckland to conduct trade relations between New Zealand and Taiwan. Its Taiwanese directors and branch managers were officers seconded from the ROC's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Economic Affairs. To avoid proximity to the Chinese Embassy in Wellington, the East Asia Trade Centre was initially based in Auckland but subsequently opened another office in Wellington.[5] In 1991, these Taiwanese trade offices were renamed Taipei Economic and Culture Centres and the head of the Wellington office became known as Representative.[6]
Despite the termination of diplomatic relations with the ROC informal trade, tourism, cultural and sporting exchanges continued. In 1975, the Chinese Embassy objected to five visits by Taiwanese swimming, tennis, football, badminton and softball teams to attend sporting events in New Zealand. As a compromise, the New Zealand Foreign Ministry advised visiting Taiwanese teams not to display official ROC badges, flags or sing the ROC anthem while touring New Zealand. By 1976, the New Zealand Government and Chinese Embassy reached an agreement that Taiwanese teams and delegations would be allowed to visit New Zealand in an unofficial capacity.[7]
Following lobbying from the New Zealand Chamber of Commerce and businesses with links to Taiwan such as Trade Span, the Third National Government's Cabinet permitted the establishment of a Mew Zealand trade office in Taipei in April 1981. To avoid offending Beijing, this mission would function as a trade office rather than a de facto embassy. The Wellington Chamber of Commerce, with the encouragement of the NZ Chamber of Commerce and New Zealand Taiwan Business Council, subsequently created a trading company called the New Zealand East Asia Trade Development Ltd. This trading company opened a trade promotion office in Taipei called the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office in 1987.[8]
In 2020, New Zealand supported Taiwan's participation at the World Health Organization. This stance was condemned by China.[10]
In 2022, Air New Zealand cancelled a contract to repair aircraft engines for Taiwan's military over fears that it could effect New Zealand's trade with China.[11]
In 2022, the Taiwanese representative to New Zealand Bill Keh-Ming Chen suggested that New Zealand should participate in freedom of navigation exercises alongside other countries.[12]
In November 2022, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern raised the issue of China's threats to Taiwan in a conversation with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.[13] China responded publicly to the concerns raised by New Zealand and other nations saying that their relations with Taiwan were an internal matter and they would not accept any foreign interference.[14]
In 2023, New Zealand parliamentarians Simon O'Connor and Ingrid Leary inaugurated the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan to coordinate parliamentary relations between New Zealand and Taiwan.[15][16]
In late August 2024, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed support for Taiwanese participation in the Pacific Islands Forum in response to reports of Chinese plans to lobby for member states to exclude Taiwan from attending the Forum's 2025 event.[17] In early September 2024, China's Ambassador to the Pacific Qian Bo successfully pressured the Forum to remove references to Taiwan in the final communique of the 2024 leaders' summit in Tonga that week.[18]
Shared issues
Taiwan and New Zealand are both significant donor nations to small Pacific states. Both have faced strategic competition from China in this region.[19] In May 2023 Taiwanese foreign minister Joseph Wu called for increased investment from New Zealand in the Pacific.[20]
Hoadley, Stephen (1993). New Zealand and Taiwan: The Policy and Practice of Quasi-Diplomacy. Wellington: New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Victoria University of Wellington. ISBN0-908772-12-2.
Hoadley, Stephen (1998). New Zealand Taiwan Relations. Auckland: New Zealand Asia Institute, University of Auckland and the Auckland Institute of Studies. ISBN0-473-05545-7.
