New Zealand classifies Russia and China as national security threats
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For the first time in history, New Zealand published a list of threats to national security, mentioning in the document the actions of Russia, China and Iran. Report presented on the New Zealand Chief Intelligence Service (NZSIS) website.
The authorities call extremism, terrorism, foreign interference and espionage the main threats to the country’s security. The states that could “cause significant harm” to New Zealand, the report included China, Russia and Iran.
New Zealand intelligence pointed to a Russian special operation in Ukraine. The country’s authorities claim that the actions of the Russian Federation allegedly led to disruptions in supply chains, “challenges to international norms” and a slowdown in the European economy. The report also mentions “disinformation” from Russia that New Zealand has faced. The authorities note that the information campaign of the Russian Federation was not aimed directly at New Zealand, but at the same time it influenced the views of some citizens of the country.
China’s actions are becoming “increasingly assertive,” the report said. The document mentions the expansion of the political, economic and military presence of China in the Pacific region. In addition, the global economy is threatened by changes in the Chinese economy, which grew by only 3% in 2022, the second-lowest since 1977.
The New Zealand authorities consider Beijing’s pressure on Chinese communities and the activities of the PRC intelligence services in the country to be another threat. Iran is also attempting to interfere in New Zealand public life by gathering information on Iranian communities and dissidents and seeking to “silence all dissenters”. The report cites Iran’s “increasingly aggressive behavior internationally” which continues to pose a threat to New Zealand’s security.
In March 2022, the Russian government, in response to Western sanctions, approved a list of “unfriendly” countries, which was subsequently expanded several times. Along with New Zealand, it included the USA, all EU countries, Japan, Ukraine, Australia, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, etc.
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