China is both charming and threatening New Zealand at the same time. Are our business, media, and political leaders taking notice or happy to just ignore and play along?
Agreed the world is at the crossroads... but I'm more inclined to think this is more about control of global power. We here in NZ are but a tiny blip in a very large ocean and regardless of what our politicians tell us to believe we hold absolutely zero influence in geopolitical events.
Please don't listen to the hypocrites on the left such as Hipkins who has apparently forgotten his stance and opinions - or his missteps of the past 6 years. Then there are the somewhat odd ramblings from the out of touch Greens and the radicals in TPM. So why would anyone listen to any of their views on AUKUS?
The coalition has much to consider before wading through the minefield of trade vs. protecting our shores, and we must remember they don't have a crystal ball to see into the future.
I have it from a number of independent sources that Simon O'Connor is well regarded outside our country in the defence and geopolitical space. To any of his critics I'd suggest you dig a bit deeper into this space than the media outlets you follow. I hasten to add that in my opinion going against the views of the current leader of the National Party is the very reason Simon is no longer in parliament - much to the disappointment of many here in his former electorate.
What used to bind the West together in terms of our Western values centring on our Judeo-Christian heritage has been undermined if not destroyed by our acceptance of 'moral relativism' & tolerance for ideologies & religions which are diametrically opposed to our values & beliefs!
It has been a gradual slide into 'moral, spiritual & intellectual' oblivion, where decisions are largely made based on money, mammon, NOT virtue, what is moral, right, principled!
The Left has forced us into taking 'moral stances' on South Africa, LGBTQ rights, Climate change, Israel, the 'fictionalised version' of the 'Treaty of Waitangi'! All deceptions in their own right as perpetrated in the Garden!
Yet China, one of the worst human rights violators, gets a pass on all the above points & more!
How does that work? Our economy has become so dependent on China! That's how!
We have abandoned our Judeo-Christian roots, teachings, beliefs for a 'pottage of lentils'!
NB:
Mt 6:33 "Seek FIRST God's Kingdom and his RIGHTEOUSNESS, and 'all these things' shall be 'yours as well'."
We have lost sight & understanding of God's Word & His Kingdom! Hosea 4:6
Mt 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Herein is our problem as a people! Like the Israelites who returned from Babylonian exile, they did not go about building God's House, but instead became focused on their own 'panelled homes & money bags', until the Prophet Haggai came along & rarked them up so they would work on the House of the Lord! Hag 1:1-11, 12-15
That is what we too must DO! The 'House' now being the NATION!
Mt 6:33, Mt 6:9-10, Mt 28:18-20 => Is 9:6-7, Dan 7:27 = Gen 1:27-28 = God's Dominion/Sovereignty over man!
This is the Formula for success & victory & establishing God's Kingdom! It's just a matter of how long it takes us to recognise this, & get on board with it! Rev 21:7 NOT Rev 21:8
So far Christians have NOT understood this! That's been the problem! Mt 7:21-23
Thank you Simon! Sticks vs carrots, sweets and sanctions, all such may work as tools for the immature humans of the species. BUT as adults who actually observe and think, CCP treats US as if we were mere Chinese children. Our own political types better smarten up right quick … Or else!
As you've been studying the relationship between the CCP and democratic nations closely, do you think much has changed in the last decade?
I've noticed more media reports of direct and provable CCP interference, including reports about covert 'CCP police stations' in western democracies. However, it is hard for me to tell whether this is a recent shift in their foreign engagement strategy, or if increased scrutiny on the CCP has revealed a long standing practice of subverting the internal authority of other nation states?
Also, the NZ Herald link about the shadowing of naval vessels isn't working for me, when I click it I get a 'this link is broken' page.
Really good question. I think it has changed, with the CCP more assertive and aggressive including in foreign interference. There have been at least two of those police stations here in NZ for example. This said, I think simultaneously, there has been heightened awareness and attention which is good.
The world is at the 'crossroads' of 'good vs evil'!
We have been lulled into a 'false sense of security' over the years, having submitted to the 'warm & inviting bathtub of Democracy', incrementally however, getting hotter & hotter, NOT acknowledging at the end of the day, that it is always about 'people', those who 'govern & control' any type of system!
Fallen man has a 'proclivity' to turn 'trust into power', unbridled power as we see happening around the world & all throughout history! Has man fundamentally changed?
If man's heart doesn't change, ultimately nothing changes, & we end up creating a 'high-tech prison' for ourselves!
That is, all the advancements we have made can then be 'hi-jacked', stolen by 'evil' people & used against us, as what happened in the Garden! The Creation & the children were both hi-jacked! We are just repeating history!
Humankind must wake up & see what is going on as once again the world is undergoing a 'great subterfuge & deception', to reduce us to 'planetary enslavement' as depicted in George Orwell's '1984'!
We need a 'spiritual & moral awakening & reformation' to align ourselves with God's Will & His Blueprint! Currently we are behaving like the children in William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies'!
The 'Theory of Evolution' along with Marxism & Communism, must be tossed into the 'trash can of history'!
There is no 'result or effect' without a cause, no invention without an inventor, & no painting without an artist! Similarly there is no Creation without a Creator!
We must turn to our Creator in order to understand His Blueprint correctly, & then build according to its 'specs'! Haggai 1
For those who think this is too simplistic, then study our Judeo-Christian history, & understand what has primarily fashioned our 'culture & civilisation'!
As with Adam & Eve after being given an incredible legacy, Gen 1:27-28, we too have messed things up due to our 'lack of knowledge & practice'! Hosea 4:6
All of us are accountable for what we do with our lives!
Jn 12:47-50, as with the Commandment God gave to Adam & Eve!
Hence Mt 6:33, Mt 6:9-10, Mt 28:18-20 => Is 9:6-7, Dan 7:27 = God's Governance & Dominion over the world 'through us'! Rom 8:17, Mt 5:48, Rom 13:8-10, Rev 20:12
As is always the case, have a moral code of conduct, examine it carefully, deeply and often. Then apply it consistently, to friend and foe alike, without fear or favor.
For example, what is "aggression"?
As in ' growing influence (aggression) in the Indo-Pacific. "
Does "Influence" = "aggression"?
That term has been snuck into the sentence in parentheses as if they are synonymous. They aren't, it isn't even a near synonym.
But if growing Chinese influence is equivalent to growing Chinese aggression then we should also look at ALL foreign influence in our country.
Do the cultural creators of Hollywood, the intellectuals of the Ivy League and the financiers of Wall Street have influence in New Zealand? If so how is it to be judged? By the same standards we apply to China or by a completely different set of standards?
Is one warship following another warship aggressive? Perhaps it is. Is a cyber-attack any different to cyber-espionage? Perhaps, perhaps not. But regardless, if you have a moral code then it has to be applied to ALL the players in the game equally.
If we see a "One rule for me, another for thee", "I am entitled to defend myself against you, but you are not entitled to defend yourself against me", "Quod licet Lovi, non licet Bovi". ("What is permissible for Jupiter is not permissible for a cow")., then it is clear that we are not seeing a moral code at all, but rather an attempt to put a pair of pants on naked self-interest.
If New Zealand implicitly (these things are never stated explicitly) adopts the position that the correct thing to do is whatever aligns us with the goals of Washington (which are always righteous) and never that which aligns us with the goals of Moscow or Beijing (which are always wicked), then New Zealand's political elites will continue to be moral vacuums and New Zealand will continue to be a vassal state.
Additional:
If you want to find an example of CCP perfidy to frighten NZ's elites you need to find a better one than the story of Jack Ma, an English teacher and tour guide who later became a member of the CCP and a multi-billionaire. He didn't "disappear" he just kept out of the spotlight for few months.
You not seeing him is not the same as him not being there.
Simon, there is some irony in the fact that you are now receiving the same silence from those in power that you delivered up to us ordinary citizens when you were an MP yourself. It is rather hypocritical of you to now complain, when you were once a signed-up, card-carrying member of the arrogant, self-absorbed elite, who would refuse even to acknowledge emails, let alone actually engage with anyone. You know how the system works. If you didn’t have the courage and integrity to fight it when you had the chance, why even bother now?
while I appreciate you might have an issue with politicians in the general sense, I am not sure it is particularly accurate to take that and apply wholly to me. I don't think I could be accused of being silent on many issues.
That's totally OTT. While we'd all like our MP's to show independence all the time they surely have the right to change their minds or keep silent. Your ad hominem attack is a waste of time.
Agreed the world is at the crossroads... but I'm more inclined to think this is more about control of global power. We here in NZ are but a tiny blip in a very large ocean and regardless of what our politicians tell us to believe we hold absolutely zero influence in geopolitical events.
Please don't listen to the hypocrites on the left such as Hipkins who has apparently forgotten his stance and opinions - or his missteps of the past 6 years. Then there are the somewhat odd ramblings from the out of touch Greens and the radicals in TPM. So why would anyone listen to any of their views on AUKUS?
The coalition has much to consider before wading through the minefield of trade vs. protecting our shores, and we must remember they don't have a crystal ball to see into the future.
I have it from a number of independent sources that Simon O'Connor is well regarded outside our country in the defence and geopolitical space. To any of his critics I'd suggest you dig a bit deeper into this space than the media outlets you follow. I hasten to add that in my opinion going against the views of the current leader of the National Party is the very reason Simon is no longer in parliament - much to the disappointment of many here in his former electorate.
What used to bind the West together in terms of our Western values centring on our Judeo-Christian heritage has been undermined if not destroyed by our acceptance of 'moral relativism' & tolerance for ideologies & religions which are diametrically opposed to our values & beliefs!
It has been a gradual slide into 'moral, spiritual & intellectual' oblivion, where decisions are largely made based on money, mammon, NOT virtue, what is moral, right, principled!
The Left has forced us into taking 'moral stances' on South Africa, LGBTQ rights, Climate change, Israel, the 'fictionalised version' of the 'Treaty of Waitangi'! All deceptions in their own right as perpetrated in the Garden!
Yet China, one of the worst human rights violators, gets a pass on all the above points & more!
How does that work? Our economy has become so dependent on China! That's how!
We have abandoned our Judeo-Christian roots, teachings, beliefs for a 'pottage of lentils'!
NB:
Mt 6:33 "Seek FIRST God's Kingdom and his RIGHTEOUSNESS, and 'all these things' shall be 'yours as well'."
We have lost sight & understanding of God's Word & His Kingdom! Hosea 4:6
Mt 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Herein is our problem as a people! Like the Israelites who returned from Babylonian exile, they did not go about building God's House, but instead became focused on their own 'panelled homes & money bags', until the Prophet Haggai came along & rarked them up so they would work on the House of the Lord! Hag 1:1-11, 12-15
That is what we too must DO! The 'House' now being the NATION!
Mt 6:33, Mt 6:9-10, Mt 28:18-20 => Is 9:6-7, Dan 7:27 = Gen 1:27-28 = God's Dominion/Sovereignty over man!
This is the Formula for success & victory & establishing God's Kingdom! It's just a matter of how long it takes us to recognise this, & get on board with it! Rev 21:7 NOT Rev 21:8
So far Christians have NOT understood this! That's been the problem! Mt 7:21-23
Thank you Simon! Sticks vs carrots, sweets and sanctions, all such may work as tools for the immature humans of the species. BUT as adults who actually observe and think, CCP treats US as if we were mere Chinese children. Our own political types better smarten up right quick … Or else!
As you've been studying the relationship between the CCP and democratic nations closely, do you think much has changed in the last decade?
I've noticed more media reports of direct and provable CCP interference, including reports about covert 'CCP police stations' in western democracies. However, it is hard for me to tell whether this is a recent shift in their foreign engagement strategy, or if increased scrutiny on the CCP has revealed a long standing practice of subverting the internal authority of other nation states?
Also, the NZ Herald link about the shadowing of naval vessels isn't working for me, when I click it I get a 'this link is broken' page.
Really good question. I think it has changed, with the CCP more assertive and aggressive including in foreign interference. There have been at least two of those police stations here in NZ for example. This said, I think simultaneously, there has been heightened awareness and attention which is good.
And thanks for the heads up on the link - definitely broken, so I have updated. Thank you.
The world is at the 'crossroads' of 'good vs evil'!
We have been lulled into a 'false sense of security' over the years, having submitted to the 'warm & inviting bathtub of Democracy', incrementally however, getting hotter & hotter, NOT acknowledging at the end of the day, that it is always about 'people', those who 'govern & control' any type of system!
Fallen man has a 'proclivity' to turn 'trust into power', unbridled power as we see happening around the world & all throughout history! Has man fundamentally changed?
If man's heart doesn't change, ultimately nothing changes, & we end up creating a 'high-tech prison' for ourselves!
That is, all the advancements we have made can then be 'hi-jacked', stolen by 'evil' people & used against us, as what happened in the Garden! The Creation & the children were both hi-jacked! We are just repeating history!
Humankind must wake up & see what is going on as once again the world is undergoing a 'great subterfuge & deception', to reduce us to 'planetary enslavement' as depicted in George Orwell's '1984'!
We need a 'spiritual & moral awakening & reformation' to align ourselves with God's Will & His Blueprint! Currently we are behaving like the children in William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies'!
The 'Theory of Evolution' along with Marxism & Communism, must be tossed into the 'trash can of history'!
There is no 'result or effect' without a cause, no invention without an inventor, & no painting without an artist! Similarly there is no Creation without a Creator!
We must turn to our Creator in order to understand His Blueprint correctly, & then build according to its 'specs'! Haggai 1
For those who think this is too simplistic, then study our Judeo-Christian history, & understand what has primarily fashioned our 'culture & civilisation'!
As with Adam & Eve after being given an incredible legacy, Gen 1:27-28, we too have messed things up due to our 'lack of knowledge & practice'! Hosea 4:6
All of us are accountable for what we do with our lives!
Jn 12:47-50, as with the Commandment God gave to Adam & Eve!
Hence Mt 6:33, Mt 6:9-10, Mt 28:18-20 => Is 9:6-7, Dan 7:27 = God's Governance & Dominion over the world 'through us'! Rom 8:17, Mt 5:48, Rom 13:8-10, Rev 20:12
As is always the case, have a moral code of conduct, examine it carefully, deeply and often. Then apply it consistently, to friend and foe alike, without fear or favor.
For example, what is "aggression"?
As in ' growing influence (aggression) in the Indo-Pacific. "
Does "Influence" = "aggression"?
That term has been snuck into the sentence in parentheses as if they are synonymous. They aren't, it isn't even a near synonym.
But if growing Chinese influence is equivalent to growing Chinese aggression then we should also look at ALL foreign influence in our country.
Do the cultural creators of Hollywood, the intellectuals of the Ivy League and the financiers of Wall Street have influence in New Zealand? If so how is it to be judged? By the same standards we apply to China or by a completely different set of standards?
Is one warship following another warship aggressive? Perhaps it is. Is a cyber-attack any different to cyber-espionage? Perhaps, perhaps not. But regardless, if you have a moral code then it has to be applied to ALL the players in the game equally.
If we see a "One rule for me, another for thee", "I am entitled to defend myself against you, but you are not entitled to defend yourself against me", "Quod licet Lovi, non licet Bovi". ("What is permissible for Jupiter is not permissible for a cow")., then it is clear that we are not seeing a moral code at all, but rather an attempt to put a pair of pants on naked self-interest.
If New Zealand implicitly (these things are never stated explicitly) adopts the position that the correct thing to do is whatever aligns us with the goals of Washington (which are always righteous) and never that which aligns us with the goals of Moscow or Beijing (which are always wicked), then New Zealand's political elites will continue to be moral vacuums and New Zealand will continue to be a vassal state.
Additional:
If you want to find an example of CCP perfidy to frighten NZ's elites you need to find a better one than the story of Jack Ma, an English teacher and tour guide who later became a member of the CCP and a multi-billionaire. He didn't "disappear" he just kept out of the spotlight for few months.
You not seeing him is not the same as him not being there.
Simon, there is some irony in the fact that you are now receiving the same silence from those in power that you delivered up to us ordinary citizens when you were an MP yourself. It is rather hypocritical of you to now complain, when you were once a signed-up, card-carrying member of the arrogant, self-absorbed elite, who would refuse even to acknowledge emails, let alone actually engage with anyone. You know how the system works. If you didn’t have the courage and integrity to fight it when you had the chance, why even bother now?
while I appreciate you might have an issue with politicians in the general sense, I am not sure it is particularly accurate to take that and apply wholly to me. I don't think I could be accused of being silent on many issues.
That's totally OTT. While we'd all like our MP's to show independence all the time they surely have the right to change their minds or keep silent. Your ad hominem attack is a waste of time.