David Mahon: China will watch Election 2026 closely
Chinese officials are watching the 2026 election for a signal on whether New Zealand’s more United States-aligned security posture will become a permanent fixture.
If they assess that it is, the trade relationship might be at risk. That’s the opinion of David Mahon, a Kiwi business consultant based in Beijing.
“New Zealand–China relations are already at their worst stage since diplomatic recognition,” he told the Of Interest podcast.
“At the moment, there's not some sword hanging over us, partly because China is so busy dealing with a massive geopolitical mess, as all great powers and smaller…
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