Transcript
The University of Canterbury politics professor and a China specialist, Anne Marie Brady, says according to reports in Chinese media, the vessel came down to New Zealand for meetings in Wellington, including at a local university, but also to conduct what has been called a Freedom of Navigation exercise in Cook Strait.
"According to media reports Xinhua, among others, it was doing training exercises in important channels and waterways. Such as Taiwan Strait, Karimata Strait, Torres Strait, Osumi Strait which is in Japan. And unusually Cook Strait. We don't usually see foreign navies coming down to train in what are New Zealand's internal waters."
Dr Brady says she would be interested to know how much the New Zealand government knew about the trip.
"Surely they were notified because they were hosting the port visit, the New Zealand government was hosting it, they had to have been asked for permission for the boat to dock. And the boat must have met our anti nuclear legislation requirements, so there would have been reporting there. But did they know also that the boat was especially coming to practice sailing in our internal waterway the Cook Strait."
Anna Powles, a senior lecturer in security studies at Massey University says the focus of strait training has raised some interest, but it could also be seen as a normal progression for China
"In terms of it developing its blue water capabilities, it also meets a number of different objectives as well in terms of China exercising soft power too, given the number of activities that their 517 odd sailors and cadets are involved in. It also is a little bit of muscle flexing."
Dr Powles says she expects these types of visits around the Pacific to increase.
"I certainly think we will see more interest from the Chinese Navy in this part of the world and I think we obviously need to keep an eye on what's happening in the Southern Ocean and in Antarctica waters as well."
The Qi Jiuang arrived in Wellington from Papua New Guinea and then departed for Fiji.
Dr Anne-Marie Brady says it was strange the vessel was going to Fiji, given its lack of major straits but noted diplomatic visits were a part of the journey.
She also found the lack of media coverage of the trip interesting.
Dr Anna Powles agrees there was a lack of publicity.
"We saw that in Australia as well when there was a two ship visit that occurred around the same time as the anniversary for Tiananmen Square and the Australian government kept it quiet. Obviously the New Zealand government hasn't publicised it as widely but is also an opportunity too for host countries to get a sense of who's who as well, to get a sense of who their counterparts are and to get a sense of what the Chinese Navy is doing."
The Asia Pacific training mission is the second ocean-going trip for the Qi Jiuang since it was commissioned.
