July 12, 2022
Māori vulnerable to Pacific China fall-out
A former diplomat says Māori are deeply affected by what’s going on at the Pacific Forum meeting in Fiji.
The meeting has been rocked by the announcement Kiribati is pulling out of the forum, and it’s also overshadowed by China’s efforts to extend its influence in the Pacific.
Former MP Shane Jones, who spent two years out of parliament as New Zealand’s ambassador for Pacific development, says China believes countries like New Zealand should not speak internationally about its internal matters or the ruling Communist Party.
That could be a problem, as about 40 percent of New Zealand exports go to China.
“And Māori are hugely exposed in the area of forestry, meat, to a certain extent milk, and a lot of the assets we own by dint of treaty settlement or the historical assets we have developed through incorporations and various other hapu initiatives, they are deeply dependent on ongoing access to the Chinese market,” Mr Jones says.
Shane Jones says Māori share many of the issues confronting Pacific nations – they have youthful populations, many are struggling to maintain their languages, and while they may have resources they lack the capital to turn them into income and jobs.