Foreign Relations

Throughout it's history two relations have always been the most important to New Zealand - those with Australia, and those with it's current patron. During it's colonial and early independent history this patron was Britian, but cultural divergence and sheer distance led to a decline in this relationship in favour of the United States. This in turn declined as US world influence declined in the mid-21st century. By 2100 New Zealand has turned to the Pacific Rim Alliance. Although it opted to remain formally independent of the alliance (largely for ideological reasons) it still retains strong links (military and economic) with PRA members, especially Australia.

New Zealand retains a mutual defense treaty with Australia, and this has caused many analysts to rate it as a de-facto member of the PRA. Although New Zealand would not be formally bound to assist if a PRA state besides Australia were attacked, Australia would be, which in turn would almost certainly require New Zealand to join the conflict. Conversely if New Zealand were attacked, Australia would assist them, which draws in the PRA. An identical situations exists with the New Zealand-Fiji mutual defense treaty. As a result of these second-hand connections to the PRA, New Zealand has cool to hostile relations with the TSA.

In the world beyond Oceania and South-East Asia New Zealand has little or no influence. It has some minor defense links a few South American nations (due to mutual distrust of the TSA) and has trade agreements with many nations worldwide. It retains a solid working relationship with the United States, a relationship strengthened by US distaste for the PRA. This relationship with the US has limited New Zealand's relations with China. The PRC is not actively hostile to New Zealand, but it classifies the country (for the most part correctly) as a puppet state of either Australia or the US. 1