WELLINGTON ¨C New Zealand has long been seen as the moderate, even absent, voice on China in the ¡°Five Eyes¡± western alliance, so much so that its commitment to the group was questioned just 12 months ago.
The recent signing of a security pact between China and the nearby Solomon Islands appears to have changed that.
New Zealand¡¯s tone on both security and Beijing¡¯s growing presence in the South Pacific has toughened, a shift analysts say reflects concerns the agreement will give Beijing a strategic foothold and potentially a military presence in the Pacific that could destabilize Western influence.
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