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Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
New Zealand and Australia seek closer military ties following Chinese live-fire naval exercise
'A big focus for us has been interoperability with Australia. We want to be a force multiplier,' Luxon told reporters. 'We want to be one, sort of, essential Anzac force essentially operating within our region,' he added, referring to the Australian New Zealand Army Corps in which the two nations' soldiers first fought together during World War I. Advertisement The summit follows a Chinese naval flotilla firing weapons in February in the Tasman Sea, which separates Australia and New Zealand. The exercise forced commercial airlines to divert flights. The Chinese navy rarely ventures so far south and the mission that partially circumnavigated Australia was seen as a demonstration of China's growing military reach. Albanese said last month that he complained to China's President Xi Jinping during a state visit to Beijing about the lack of notice the Chinese had given of the live-fire exercise. Xi replied that Australia also engaged in exercises, referring to freedom of navigation missions conducted by Australian military in the disputed South China Sea. Albanese and Luxon recognized their countries face the most unpredictable and dangerous strategic environment in decades and their alliance plays a critical role in protecting and advancing their shared interest in the region, they said in a joint statement. Advertisement The prime ministers also commended progress over the past year to intensify defense cooperation and integration. While the statement did not mention China, the prime ministers confirmed their most important trading partner was discussed. 'Of course, the geostrategic competition, in particular between the great powers, is something that countries like Australia and New Zealand do discuss together and we cooperate politically,' Albanese said. Luxon said 'both countries have followed pretty much the same playbook' in their bilateral dealings with China. 'China's an important world power. It's important that we can engage,' Luxon said. 'We genuinely are able to have a conversation — I think a very mature one now — to say, look, we do have very different histories, we do have different systems, we do have different values, that does mean we do have differences. Good partners should be not afraid to talk about those things,' Luxon added. Luxon announced in April a plan to make the New Zealand Defense Force more combat capable that would double defense spending to more than 2% of GDP. He described the rise from around 1% over the past two decades as 'a big step up for us.' In a demonstration of Tokyo seeking deeper strategic ties in the South Pacific, Japanese warships docked in New Zealand on Friday for the first time in almost 90 years. Australia announced this week Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will build a fleet of 11 Australian naval frigates with a contract expected to be worth $6.5 billion. Australia's most expensive defense expansion is a submarine deal with the United States and Britain that is expected to cost up to $245 billion. Under the trilateral partnership known by the acronym AUKUS, Australia will acquire a fleet of eight submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology. Advertisement U.S. President Trump has urged western countries to increase their defense budgets and rely less on the U.S. for their security. Albanese told reporters on Saturday: 'If people argue that we should increase our defense spending, we are.'
NBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- NBC News
New Zealand and Australia seek closer military ties following Chinese live-fire naval exercise
The leaders of New Zealand and Australia on Saturday discussed closer cooperation between they their expanding militaries against the backdrop of a recent extraordinary Chinese live-fire exercise near their shores. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon hosted his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese at the tourist city of Queenstown for their second annual bilateral leaders' meeting. Luxon said his country wanted closer military cooperation with Australia, a country he describes as New Zealand's 'only ally.' 'A big focus for us has been interoperability with Australia. We want to be a force multiplier,' Luxon told reporters. 'We want to be one, sort of, essential Anzac force essentially operating within our region,' he added, referring to the Australian New Zealand Army Corps in which the two nations' soldiers first fought together during World War I. The summit follows a Chinese naval flotilla firing weapons in February in the Tasman Sea, which separates Australia and New Zealand. The exercise forced commercial airlines to divert flights. The Chinese navy rarely ventures so far south and the mission that partially circumnavigated Australia was seen as a demonstration of China's growing military reach. Albanese said last month that he complained to China's President Xi Jinping during a state visit to Beijing about the lack of notice the Chinese had given of the live-fire exercise. Xi replied that Australia also engaged in exercises, referring to freedom of navigation missions conducted by Australian military in the disputed South China Sea. Albanese and Luxon recognized their countries face the most unpredictable and dangerous strategic environment in decades and their alliance plays a critical role in protecting and advancing their shared interest in the region, they said in a joint statement. The prime ministers also commended progress over the past year to intensify defense cooperation and integration. While the statement did not mention China, the prime ministers confirmed their most important trading partner was discussed. 'Of course, the geostrategic competition, in particular between the great powers, is something that countries like Australia and New Zealand do discuss together and we cooperate politically,' Albanese said. Luxon said 'both countries have followed pretty much the same playbook' in their bilateral dealings with China. 'China's an important world power. It's important that we can engage,' Luxon said. 'We genuinely are able to have a conversation — I think a very mature one now — to say, look, we do have very different histories, we do have different systems, we do have different values, that does mean we do have differences. Good partners should be not afraid to talk about those things,' Luxon added. Luxon announced in April a plan to make the New Zealand Defense Force more combat capable that would double defense spending to more than 2% of GDP. He described the rise from around 1% over the past two decades as 'a big step up for us.' In a demonstration of Tokyo seeking deeper strategic ties in the South Pacific, Japanese warships docked in New Zealand on Friday for the first time in almost 90 years. Australia announced this week Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will build a fleet of 11 Australian naval frigates with a contract expected to be worth $6.5 billion. Australia's most expensive defense expansion is a submarine deal with the United States and Britain that is expected to cost up to $245 billion. Under the trilateral partnership known by the acronym AUKUS, Australia will acquire a fleet of eight submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology. U.S. President Donald Trump has urged western countries to increase their defense budgets and rely less on the U.S. for their security. Albanese told reporters on Saturday: 'If people argue that we should increase our defense spending, we are.'
3 days ago
- Business
New Zealand and Australia seek closer military ties following Chinese live-fire naval exercise
MELBOURNE, Australia -- The leaders of New Zealand and Australia on Saturday discussed closer cooperation between their expanding militaries against the backdrop of a recent extraordinary Chinese live-fire exercise near their shores. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon hosted his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese at the tourist city of Queenstown for their second annual bilateral leaders' meeting. Luxon said his country wanted closer military cooperation with Australia, a country he describes as New Zealand's 'only ally.' 'A big focus for us has been interoperability with Australia. We want to be a force multiplier,' Luxon told reporters. 'We want to be one, sort of, essential Anzac force essentially operating within our region,' he added, referring to the Australian New Zealand Army Corps in which the two nations' soldiers first fought together during World War I. The summit follows a Chinese naval flotilla firing weapons in February in the Tasman Sea, which separates Australia and New Zealand. The exercise forced commercial airlines to divert flights. The Chinese navy rarely ventures so far south and the mission that partially circumnavigated Australia was seen as a demonstration of China's growing military reach. Albanese said last month that he complained to China's President Xi Jinping during a state visit to Beijing about the lack of notice the Chinese had given of the live-fire exercise. Xi replied that Australia also engaged in exercises, referring to freedom of navigation missions conducted by Australian military in the disputed South China Sea. Albanese and Luxon recognized their countries face the most unpredictable and dangerous strategic environment in decades and their alliance plays a critical role in protecting and advancing their shared interest in the region, they said in a joint statement. The prime ministers also commended progress over the past year to intensify defense cooperation and integration. While the statement did not mention China, the prime ministers confirmed their most important trading partner was discussed. 'Of course, the geostrategic competition, in particular between the great powers, is something that countries like Australia and New Zealand do discuss together and we cooperate politically,' Albanese said. Luxon said 'both countries have followed pretty much the same playbook' in their bilateral dealings with China. 'China's an important world power. It's important that we can engage,' Luxon said. 'We genuinely are able to have a conversation — I think a very mature one now — to say, look, we do have very different histories, we do have different systems, we do have different values, that does mean we do have differences. Good partners should be not afraid to talk about those things,' Luxon added. Luxon announced in April a plan to make the New Zealand Defense Force more combat capable that would double defense spending to more than 2% of GDP. He described the rise from around 1% over the past two decades as 'a big step up for us.' In a demonstration of Tokyo seeking deeper strategic ties in the South Pacific, Japanese warships docked in New Zealand on Friday for the first time in almost 90 years. Australia announced this week Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will build a fleet of 11 Australian naval frigates with a contract expected to be worth $6.5 billion. Australia's most expensive defense expansion is a submarine deal with the United States and Britain that is expected to cost up to $245 billion. Under the trilateral partnership known by the acronym AUKUS, Australia will acquire a fleet of eight submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology. U.S. President Donald Trump has urged western countries to increase their defense budgets and rely less on the U.S. for their security.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Science
- USA Today
Antarctica evacuation: US researchers flown in high-risk winter night operation
Three staff members from a United States research base in Antarctica were medically evacuated to New Zealand during extreme cold and dark conditions amid the southern winter, New Zealand's air force said Wednesday, Aug. 6. The U.S. National Science Foundation requested an emergency evacuation for three people unable to receive necessary care on the continent, including one who required urgent treatment, according to the New Zealand Defense Force. Despite high-risk travel conditions, the flight landed successfully and all three received treatment. "With the support of Antarctica New Zealand and United States' National Science Foundation staff in Antarctica, we have been able to complete the flight and the patients are now getting the medical treatment they need in Christchurch," Air Component Commander Air Commodore Andy Scott said in the Aug. 6 news release Following detailed analysis of weather conditions and the airfield, the Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft flew from the McMurdo Station on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 5, and landed in Christchurch, New Zealand, the next morning. One doctor and other medical personnel with the New Zealand Defence Force were onboard to care for the patients throughout the flight, the agency said. The military group did not provide any details about why each staff member required medical treatment. Why was the trip so dangerous? The military group stated that mid-winter flights in Antarctica are among the most challenging trips due to extreme cold, variable weather conditions, and the difficulty of landing an aircraft on the ice during the dark hours. Temperatures at the McMurdo Station were as low as -24 Celsius (-11 Fahrenheit) on Aug. 6, Reuters reported. The crew used night vision goggles to navigate the essentially pitch-black trip, and the U.S. Antarctic Program Winter Team physically created a runway ahead of takeoff to ensure the aircraft could safely land, according to Scott. "Although they determine it is safe, it's still an extremely challenging environment to fly in," Scott said. "This, coupled with there being no airfields available to divert to once the aircraft is past a certain point south adds to the risk, so these missions are not taken lightly." The trip took nearly 20 hours, including a brief stint on the ice to refuel while the aircraft engines continued to run in a process known as "hot refueling," the New Zealand Defense Force said.
Otago Daily Times
18-07-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
NZDF rescues trio from life-raft in Pacific Ocean
A life raft alongside a merchant vessel. Photo: NZDF / supplied Three people are safe after being rescued from a life-raft in the ocean following mechanical failure on their vessel. Their launch was heading from New Zealand to Tonga when it ran into trouble on Thursday afternoon, around 350 nautical miles northeast of New Zealand. A mayday was issued, and the crew activated an emergency beacon before abandoning ship for a life-raft. The distress signal was picked up by a nearby merchant tanker, the only vessel in range. Following this, a New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) F8 aircraft was deployed to assist. "Getting on-board a large vessel on the open ocean from a life raft is not an easy task," Taylor Monaghan, search and rescue officer at the Rescue Coordination Centre, said. "This was done at night, in trying conditions as well." At about 11pm, the trio were safely brought aboard the tanker. Maritime New Zealand praised the coordinated effort and quick action of both the tanker crew and the NZDF.
