New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has spoken out against framing the conflict in Ukraine and countering ongoing Chinese aggression through a “black and white” lens, saying nations do not need to choose between autocracies or democracies.
Ardern’s latest views stand in stark contrast to that of U.S. President Joe Biden, who has vowed to fight for a free and open Indo-Pacific region against increasing Chinese aggression.
“This is what this is about, democracy vs. autocracy—we have to make sure democracy is delivered,” Biden said in May.
In a speech to Australia’s Lowy Institute on July 7, Ardern instead, appeared to soften her language towards Beijing arguing that many countries had played a role in the Pacific region for many years….