It is important China gets the message that democracies cannot be pressured in to changing their positions on core issues such as democracy and human rights, Prof Robert Patman says. The international relations specialist made the comments during an ODTtv Global Insight interview about the increasingly fraught relationship between New Zealand and China. Prof Patman said New Zealand's relationship with China had changed since the rosy, early days following the landmark, 2008, joint free trade agreement. Prof Patman said New Zealand needed to remain friendly but firm with China. Not at the price of appeasing China or compromising, under Chinese pressure, in the area of democracy and human rights.''

Source: Otago Daily Times February 28, 2019 03:33 UTC