Shangri-La Dialogue 2024: Judith Collins

AMC's Graeme Acton is at this years Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Founded in 1958, the IISS is the leading global authority on geopolitics and strategy, and acting as a conduit for analysis and debate on issues around geopolitics, power, and conflict.

Defence and Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins has reiterated New Zealand’s support for international security arrangements in the Indo-Pacific.

Collins is in Singapore for defence and technology-related meetings, and this morning appeared as part of a panel at the Shangri-La Dialogue – the leading forum for Defence Ministers from the Indo-Pacific region.

Seated alongside her counterparts from Thailand and Canada she told delegates that New Zealand’s new government is determined to bring new energy to its international engagements to support collective security in the Indo-Pacific region.

“I’m focused on ensuring New Zealand’s an active and constructive partner, and that the New Zealand Defence Force has the right capabilities to operate on the international stage.” she said.

Citing examples of New Zealand’s current commitment to peacekeeping, Ms Collins confirmed that New Zealand’s new P8A Poseidon aircraft has just finished its first mission – monitoring the evasion of UN sanctions by North Korea, a commitment that has been in place since 2018.

“We have continued a regular programme of exercises and engagements, with a focus on maritime security.” “While these operations address distinct issues, I see connections between them.”

Australia, Britain, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore have just agreed to stage more complex military drills in the region this year involving drones, fifth-generation fighter planes and surveillance aircraft.

The announcement came on Friday by defence ministers from members of the established Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA) on the sidelines of day one of the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Defence Minister Judith Collins at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore/ image ANZF

In her address to the Dialogue, Ms Collins also highlighted the importance of Pacific security issues to New Zealand, and highlighted the Pacific Island Forum as a vital mechanism for Pacific Nations to define their security priorities – in particular climate change.

She also noted that the Pacific has become increasingly important as a theatre for strategic competition, and raised the subject of outside countries that do not share the Pacific’s best interests or values acting in ways that undermine regional security.

“Rather than seeing themselves as isolated island states, Pacific countries are increasingly presenting themselves as large ocean states, connected by the Blue Pacific continent.” she said.

Responding to a question from the audience, she went further on the issue: “Pacific Island nations are not playthings for larger nations, and need to be treated with respect.” she said. 

"As we hear all the time, the number one issue that comes up in defence is illegal fishing, and Pacific Island nations often need assistance, and that’s where New Zealand can assist.”

“The importance of maritime security for the Pacific is clear – we are seeing increasing threats to Pacific fisheries from illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, alongside increasing instances of trans-national organised crime.

"Perhaps most acutely, in the South China Sea we are seeing conflicting states ambitions resulting in challenges to maritime sovereignty.”

In response to these challenges, Minister Collins reiterated New Zealand’s support for ASEAN as a collective body able to address security issues, and a “central venue” for states to discuss security challenges.

 She also praised the ADMM-Plus meeting as a platform for useful discussion.

That regular meeting brings together defence ministers from ASEAN and its eight Dialogue Partners (Australia, China, India, Japan, NZ, South Korea, Russia and the US) to strengthen security and defence cooperation.

On the controversial subject of AUKUS, and New Zealand’s possible membership of ‘Pillar II, Ms Collins simply confirmed that the final decision would be for Cabinet, and for the existing partners to make in due course.

And while nobody in the audience of politicians, military analysts, armed forces representatives and academics would have been left in any doubt about New Zealand’s current strong support for the UN-inspired “rules based order”, Ms Collins hammered the point to the last.

“ In New Zealand we recognise that our security and prosperity is connected to, and dependent on ,wider regional and global security and prosperity.” she said.

“ We will be increasing the energy we bring to our international security partnerships to support our strong interests in wider regional security, and the strength of the international rules-based system.”

-    Asia Media Centre