We don’t have to tie ourselves to the USA, we have other options. We could seek closer ties to India, China, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and other nations near us. I think what’s preventing us from doing this is frankly just bigotry.
Today, BRICS countries are home to roughly 3.3 billion people — over 40% of the global population. The BRICS economies also account for an estimated 37.3% of global gross domestic product based on purchasing power parity. We could join BRICS but we won’t, we could join the EU but they might not have us.
I don’t think its just bigotry, there’s a load of tradition and history that ties particularly Pakeha New Zealand to the west. And without devolving into bothsidesism (although, obviously it is) some people do have questions about aligning with regimes accused of human rights abuses and what not.
I think NZ does need to start having the discussion though; the old assumptions and alliances are bending and its foolish not to ask where our future alignment is best placed.
We don’t have to tie ourselves to the USA, we have other options. We could seek closer ties to India, China, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and other nations near us. I think what’s preventing us from doing this is frankly just bigotry.
Today, BRICS countries are home to roughly 3.3 billion people — over 40% of the global population. The BRICS economies also account for an estimated 37.3% of global gross domestic product based on purchasing power parity. We could join BRICS but we won’t, we could join the EU but they might not have us.
I don’t think its just bigotry, there’s a load of tradition and history that ties particularly Pakeha New Zealand to the west. And without devolving into bothsidesism (although, obviously it is) some people do have questions about aligning with regimes accused of human rights abuses and what not.
I think NZ does need to start having the discussion though; the old assumptions and alliances are bending and its foolish not to ask where our future alignment is best placed.
When you say “aligning with regimes accused of human rights abuses” you mean the USA, UK, Israel, France, Germany etc right?