New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said he will meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House next Tuesday, as he looks to discuss growing Indo-Pacific competition, trade and the US economic role in the region.The two countries are not cooperating but a meeting with Biden was not confirmed after Ardern was tested for COVID-19 earlier this month, given the White House epidemic rules.
Ardern, who spoke to reporters on Thursday after delivering his first address at Harvard University during a visit to the United States, said he would meet again with US Vice President Kamala Harris later that day.He expected the agenda to include the Ukrainian war and increasing competition in the Indo-Pacific – apparently referring to the growing conflict between the United States and its allies and China in the region.
“There are a lot of places where the United States and New Zealand have very similar views, a few places where we would like to see their presence continue, or grow,” Ardern said.
“I think we will discuss our region and the fact that we are becoming increasingly competitive and the role of the United States in our regional economy is crucial.”The United States wants to boost exports and attract more tourists as New Zealand looks set to reopen its borders after more than two years of COVID-19 restrictions.
On Wednesday, he met with members of the US Congress and said the United States should revert to a regional trade agreement that we abolished in 2017 if it wanted to engage economically with the Indo-Pacific.
Ardern’s visit to Washington coincides with the start of a shocking visit by China’s foreign minister to the Pacific Islands, which is intensifying in a power struggle between Beijing and Washington and its allies, including New Zealand.His visit also follows a month of intense US-focused Indo-Pacific negotiations, including Biden’s first trip as regional president concluded this week.
