Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver a New Year's message to ring in 2025 at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed on Friday the long-term adherence to "one country, two systems" as Macao celebrates a quarter-century of transformative success since its return to the motherland.

At a televised ceremony held in a major sports stadium in Macao, Xi swore in Sam Hou Fai, a 62-year-old former senior judge, as the sixth-term chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR). Sam's team of principal officials for the SAR government was also sworn in before Xi.

After the inauguration, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addressed an audience of over 1,000 people in the stadium.

Xi stated that great achievements of Macao since its return have proven to the world that "one country, two systems" has prominent institutional strengths and tremendous vitality.

Macao and its neighbor Hong Kong are China's two SARs governed under the "one country, two systems" policy since China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over them following long periods of Portuguese and British rule. The policy allows them to maintain their capitalist systems and ways of life within socialist China.

Xi said "one country, two systems" is a good policy that helps maintain long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao, a good policy that serves the noble cause of building a stronger country and achieving national rejuvenation, and a good policy that helps realize peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation between different social systems.

The values of peace, inclusiveness, openness and sharing that are embodied in the policy are shared by China and the rest of the world, and deserve to be jointly safeguarded, he added.

Delivering a brief speech at the airport after arriving in the city Wednesday, Xi called Macao "a pearl on the palm" of the motherland.

Xi on Thursday visited the Macau University of Science and Technology. He also inspected the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, praising it for bolstering Macao's economic diversification.

In response to the US announcement of military assistance worth $571.3 million and approval of $295 million worth of arms sales to Taiwan on Friday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Sunday that China strongly deplores and firmly opposes it and lodged serious protests at once with the US.

The spokesperson said the US move violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, especially the August 17 Communiqué of 1982, and China’s sovereignty and security interests. The decision is a severe breach of the US leaders’ commitment of not supporting “Taiwan independence,” and sends a gravely wrong signal to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.

The Taiwan question is at the core of China’s core interests, and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-US relations. To aid “Taiwan independence” by arming Taiwan is just like playing with fire and will get the US burned, and to use the Taiwan question to contain China is doomed to fail. China urges the US to immediately stop arming Taiwan and stop the dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits. We will take all measures necessary to firmly defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, the spokesperson said.

US President Joe Biden approved $571.3 million in defense assistance for the island of Taiwan, the White House confirmed on Friday. On the same day, the US also announced the potential sales of upgraded tactical data link systems and gun mounts for ships to the island, valued at around $295 million.

Chinese experts believe that the Biden administration's frequent military sales and assistance moves before a change of US government are designed to pressure the next administration to adhere more closely to his policy framework regarding Taiwan question. However, they argue that these moves will have limited impact on the island’s defense capabilities and primarily serve to enrich US arms manufacturers.

In a brief statement, the White House announced that Biden had authorized the drawdown "of up to $571.3 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to support Taiwan,” according to AFP.

The statement did not provide details of the military assistance package of the $571.3 million. It was the third of its kind after the $567 million and $345 million in assistance announced on September 30 this year and on July 28, 2023.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert, questioned why the US didn’t reveal details of what the $571.3 million defense assistance consists of. He said it is likely the aid was given to Taiwan authority as a bait to purchase, “it’s more like I give you some sweet and you spend money.”

In September earlier this year, Taiwan authorities said they were looking into the issue of mouldy armour and expired ammunition among “unserviceable” US military equipment delivered to island of Taiwan, according to South China Morning Post.

The shipments included 120 water-damaged pallets containing more than 3,000 body armor plates and 500 tactical vests that were “soaking wet and covered in mould”, according to the US Office of Inspector General, which launched an investigation after the matter was flagged by Taiwan officials.

The US government also announced on Friday the potential sales of parts for 76 mm autocannon and upgraded Link-16 system to Taiwan, valued at around $295 million.

Both the 76 mm autocannon and upgraded Link-16 system only serve to sustain the existing combat capabilities of the island of Taiwan, offering no significant improvements, Song told the Global Times.

Link 16 is part of a military tactical data network used by NATO members. It allows planes, ships and land-based vehicles to share near-real-time tactical information by text, image or voice, media reported.

76 mm autocannon is a type of shipborne gun used by the island's navy, also known as a naval gun, said Song.

One thing is clear, a large amount of money needs to be paid to American arms dealers, and the prices for these military purchases are often much higher than market rates, forcing the Taiwan authority to incur substantial expenses while primarily benefiting American arms manufacturers, Song said.

The military sales announced on Friday came less than a month after the US State Department approved the potential sale of spare parts for F-16 jets and radars to Taiwan valued at approximately $385 million, the Pentagon said on November 29.

On December 5, China took countermeasures against 13 US military firms and six senior executives in response to the US announcement of arms sales to China's Taiwan region.

The Taiwan question is China’s domestic affairs, and it is the core of China's core interests. It is the first red line in China-US relations that cannot be crossed. The Chinese people are determined to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson from China's Ministry of National Defense said on Saturday in response to Pentagon report on China's military and security developments.

The US is intensifying military ties with Taiwan, accelerating the arming of island of Taiwan through arms sales and military aid, which seriously violates the one-China principle. This will only fuel the arrogance of "Taiwan secessionism" and escalate tensions in the Taiwan Straits, potentially leading to conflict and war, Zhang said.

China urges the US to adhere to the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, to recognize the extreme danger of "Taiwan independence" separatism, to understand the serious consequences of playing with fire, to stop official exchanges and military contacts with island of Taiwan, and to cease condoning and supporting "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. The US should not continue down the wrong path, Zhang noted.

The first batch of US-made M1A2T tanks sold to the Taiwan island reportedly arrived in Taipei on December 15 following the arrival of accessory equipment of the tanks in Kaohsiung before, but a military expert from Chinese mainland said the tanks, trumpeted by media on the island as "the most powerful combat vehicle on the ground," are too bulky and heavy for island combat and will only serve as easy targets for drones and attack helicopters.

In response to an inquiry regarding claim by the Taiwan island's "defense ministry" that it had received "the most powerful combat vehicle on the ground" from the US, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on December 16 that China firmly opposes military ties between the US and the Taiwan island, opposes US arms sales to the island, stressing that China's position on this remains consistent and clear.

Traditionally, US presidents approaching the end of their term would refrain from making significant diplomatic moves. Yet the Biden administration has frequently approved arms sales or assistance to Taiwan before Biden leaves office, indicating an attempt to pressure the next administration to comply with his policies regarding Taiwan question, Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Saturday.

If the next administration were to deviate from the framework set by Biden, it would require significant effort to address the challenges created under Biden’s policies, said Li.

Furthermore, Li stated that Biden administration's frequent moves are aimed at intensifying Washington's efforts to confront China using the Taiwan question. The military advantage that the mainland has over island of Taiwan is quite evident, which is why the US is now eagerly selling weapons to Taiwan region. This reflects the deep anxiety in of the Biden administration, said Li.

In response to media reports that a businessman who has settled status in the UK was banned from entering the UK last year for allegedly posing national security risk to the UK due to his relationship with China's United Front Department, a spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in the UK said on Friday this is a typical case of the thief crying "catch thief."

Some people in the UK are so keen on making up all kinds of "spy" stories against China. "Their purpose is to smear China and sabotage normal people-to-people exchanges between China and the UK. We strongly condemn this," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson pointed out that the United Front led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) endeavors to bring together various political parties and people from all walks of life, ethnic groups and organizations to promote cooperation between the CPC and people who are not members of it.

The CPC and the Chinese government always believe that different civilizations should respect and learn from each other with an open mind, work for harmonious coexistence, win-win cooperation and peaceful development of all countries, and promote normal people-to-people exchanges and friendship with other countries. Non-interference in each other's internal affairs is an important principle upheld by Chinese diplomacy. The Chinese side is fair and square, above-board and beyond reproach, the spokesperson said.

Some on the British side repeatedly use China's United Front work as a pretext to accuse China of wrongdoing, discredit China's political system, and undermine normal exchanges and cooperation between China and the UK. Such sinister plots will never succeed, the spokesperson noted.

"We urge the relevant parties in the UK to immediately stop creating trouble, stop spreading the 'China threat' narrative, and stop undermining normal exchanges between China and the UK," the spokesperson said.

The Global Times Annual Conference 2025, themed "Moving forward in Partnership: Resonance of Values between China and the World," is held in Beijing on Saturday. Experts and scholars engaged in discussions on the topic, "Exploring the path of great power relations: differences and consensus." Tu Xinquan, dean of China Institute for WTO Studies at the University of International Business and Economics, said that while the US was once a key driver of the global trade system, at present, the "dual-core drive" of China and the US is more beneficial for the world economy. 

Economic and trade relations can be seen as the foundation of China-US relations and serve as the ballast for their stable development. Tu pointed out that the multilateral trade system in the past operated with the US market at its core. However, with the US market and economy facing problems, the core in the past can no longer single-handedly drive the global economy. The China-US "dual-core drive" is more beneficial for the development of the world economy. In Tu's view, China's role in the global economy is still primarily that of a producer, and its position as a consumer has not yet been fully demonstrated.

Tu emphasized that the key issue in the global trade system lies in how to coordinate the conflicting economic interests of different producers. To address this, he proposed two approaches: First, to create a larger international market through the inclusion of new members, technological advancements, and institutional improvements; Second, to foster a more interdependent, "mutually embedded" relationship among producers.

Editor's Note:

From November 6 to November 18, the Global Times Institute (GTI) conducted a public opinion survey using a commercial online sample database. The survey was administered in 16 languages, including Chinese, English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Russian, across 20 countries: China, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Russia, Italy, Germany, France, the UK, the US, Australia, South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Brazil, and Argentina. The survey targeted residents aged 18 to 70 and collected approximately 17,000 valid responses. This marks the 12th global public opinion survey conducted by the Global Times and covered topics such as global hotspots, development and security, China-US relations, and respondents' perceptions of China.
In 2024, the international situation remains turbulent. Data from the survey indicates that the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts rank as the top global concerns, with over 90 percent of respondents expressing their interest in these issues. Outside the US, more than 80 percent of respondents expressed interest in the US presidential elections.

Major concerns for the global affairs

When asked whether global security and peace are currently under threat, 31 percent of respondents overall chose "significant threat," while another 30 percent chose "some threat," with the combined total exceeding 60 percent. Compared to the previous year, the proportion of respondents perceiving a "significant threat" dropped by approximately 9 percentage points, indicating a decline in public feelings of insecurity.

In four countries - Italy, France, Brazil, and Kenya - over 40 percent of respondents felt "significant threat." In Turkey, the proportion was close to 40 percent.

When asked about specific risks or crises facing the world today, respondents identified the top three concerns as an economic crisis, international wars, and terrorism. The economic crisis, which ranked first, was selected by 57 percent of respondents, the same proportion as in 2023, while nearly half of respondents identified international wars as a concern.

Respondents also shared their concerns in brief written responses on the survey. In Australia, an individual born in the 1980s expressed worries about the cost of living. In Germany, a respondent born in the late 1980s identified the latest developments in generative artificial intelligence as a risk. A South Korean student born after 2000 voiced concern about the nuclear-contaminated wastewater dumped by Japan. In the US, respondents from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s cited "inflation" as a pressing issue. Meanwhile, a respondent in the UK, born in the 1980s, expressed concern over the "decline of the west into madness."

Sun Degang, director of the Middle East Studies Center at Fudan University, told the Global Times that "currently, many of the world's conflicts are closely related to the hegemonic policies of the US, particularly those in the Middle East. The masses have sharp eyes and recognize that the US' biased policies in favor of its allies have exacerbated conflicts in the region. In 2023, numerous protests concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict erupted on US campuses. From a humanitarian standpoint, people called for a ceasefire in Gaza, supported Palestinian statehood, and urged the US to provide humanitarian aid."

When asked about the development trends in the Middle East in 2025, public opinion was highly divided. A total 36 percent of respondents believed the situation would worsen while 30 percent thought it would ease, and 25 percent expected it to remain unchanged.

According to Sun, differences in predictions about the Middle East's future largely stem from geographical factors. "Countries located closer to conflict hotspots tend to have more pessimistic populations. For example, Turkey, situated at the intersection of the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts, has a stronger public perception of risk. In contrast, countries farther from these hotspots, such as India and China, tend to have relatively more optimistic predictions."
China the preferred partner for economic and trade cooperation in the US

Regarding expectations for great powers' leadership, the survey asked, survey data shows that China rose from fifth place in 2018 to second place in 2024, with its selection rate increasing by 6 percentage points. Among the eight countries, Germany experienced the most significant decline in selection rate, while the UK and France also saw decreases.

Sun analyzed "In 2023, China facilitated reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran. In 2024, it helped 14 Palestinian political factions reach the 'Beijing Declaration' and proposed a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These significant diplomatic mediation efforts have demonstrated to the international community that China is not a threat to global security but rather a defender of security and a provider of international public goods. This has enhanced China's international image and increased overseas recognition of its leadership in global governance."

When asked which country's economic and trade cooperation has the greatest impact on their own country's economic growth, overall data shows that the US and China significantly lead over other countries, with both receiving nearly 30 percent of the selections, a proportion close to each other. The selection rates for other countries are all below 10 percent. In both the US and China, nearly 30 percent of respondents chose the other country. In the US, China is clearly the preferred partner for economic and trade cooperation, ahead of other countries. In China, Russia is the top choice for economic and trade cooperation, 3 percentage points higher than the second-ranked US.

Customs data released on December 10 showed that in the first 11 months of this year, China's total goods trade import and export value reached 39.79 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.9 percent, with overall foreign trade running smoothly. Among these, China's import and export trade with regions and countries such as the ASEAN, the EU, Latin America, the US, Russia, India, South Korea, and Canada all saw an increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times that when US citizens judge their preferred economic and trade cooperation partners, they often base their decisions on personal life experiences. Everyday items such as household goods and clothing in the US rely on exchanges with China and other developing countries. When China-US trade relations are close, the prices of daily necessities are usually lower.

"However, when the US initiated a trade war, and imposed tariff barriers against China, the prices of many goods rise, causing inconvenience to people's personal lives. Therefore, the public hopes for better economic and trade relations between the US and China. This also reflects the positive potential of China-US relations at the grassroots level," he said.

Survey data shows that more than three-quarters of the public express concerns that domestic political, economic, and social issues in the US will influence its government's foreign policy, thereby negatively impacting the world.

Over half of the respondents expressed a high level of concern. The survey further probed American respondents on the potential harm of anti-China and anti-Asian sentiments within the US. The survey reveals that nearly half (49 percent) of American respondents believe these sentiments are likely or definitely harmful to the US, while only 16 percent believe they are not.

Li analyzed that the US attempts to shift its domestic troubles onto other countries, solving its own problems by making other nations share the burden of its crises. "Furthermore, the US imposes tariffs to exploit other countries' earnings during the process of economic globalization, aiming to resolve its economic, employment, and manufacturing issues. In the long run, this treatment of internal problems by external means approach not only fails to solve America's internal issues but may also negatively affect the global economy," he said.

What kind of China-US relationship does the world expect? In 2024, 42 percent of respondents expect the relationship between the two countries to "ease," an increase of 10 percentage points from 2023. In all countries surveyed, more than half of respondents expect China-US relations to either remain stable or ease in the coming year.

At the same time, over half (56 percent) of respondents believe that China-US cooperation is more beneficial for world peace and development, with this proportion exceeding half in all 16 countries surveyed.

When asked about the independence of their own country's foreign policy and actions toward China, about a third of respondents believe their countries are either leaning toward independent policymaking or are significantly aligning with the US.

In eight countries including the UK, France, Italy, Australia, and Argentina, a relative majority of respondents believe their country's policy and actions toward China are either strongly or excessively aligned with the US. Japan and South Korea have the highest agreement rates, with over 60 percent agreeing.
Hope for better relations with China

Overall, nearly 60 percent of respondents hope their country's relationship with China will become closer and friendlier. In 15 countries, a majority of respondents expressed hope for improved relations with China in the future. Among them, more than 70 percent of respondents in South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Brazil, and Indonesia shared this sentiment, while over 60 percent in Saudi Arabia and Russia felt the same. In Germany and Australia, nearly half of the respondents also hoped for better future relations with China.

More than half of the respondents expressed willingness to visit China personally to learn more about the country. Among them, the willingness to visit was highest in three African nations: 90 percent in Kenya, 80 percent in South Africa, and over 70 percent in Egypt. Additionally, nearly 60 percent of respondents in India and Russia were also open to visiting.

In 2024, China successfully launched the Chang'e-6 lunar probe. Across the 19 countries surveyed (excluding China), nearly 70 percent of respondents indicated they had followed the event.

Regarding China's development, the survey reveals that 40 percent of respondents expressed "admiration." In six countries - South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Brazil, Argentina, and Indonesia - over half of the respondents shared this sentiment. Kenya ranked the highest, with more than 70 percent expressing admiration, followed by Indonesia at over 60 percent.

When asked whether China's continuous development and progress pose more opportunities or threats to their own country, 36 percent of respondents overall chose "more opportunities." In 10 countries, including Indonesia, India, and Turkey, a relative majority of respondents viewed China's development as "more opportunities."

In six countries - Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, and Brazil - over half of respondents shared this view. Similarly, nearly half of respondents in Argentina agreed. Kenya had the highest proportion, with nearly 70 percent seeing China's development as an opportunity, while South Africa and Egypt followed at approximately 60 percent.

The Chinese Embassy in the UK on Tuesday urged the UK side to immediately stop creating trouble, stop anti-China political manipulations, and stop undermining normal personnel exchanges between the two countries after a Chinese businessman is reportedly being banned from entering the UK.

It is reported that the businessman banned from entering the UK has asked his legal team to disclose his identity. This businessman has also made it clear in a statement that he has done nothing wrong or unlawful. In the meantime, the UK Parliament (on Monday afternoon) heard an urgent question on this issue, during which a few Members of Parliament continued to accuse the businessman of being a "Chinese spy," according to the Chinese Embassy.

The businessman has been banned from Britain on "national security" grounds, according to media reports.

"I have done nothing wrong or unlawful and the concerns raised by the Home Office against me are ill-founded," the businessman said in a statement issued by his lawyers on Monday, Reuters reported.

Chinese Embassy in the UK said in the statement on Tuesday that: "As for the anti-China clamours made by a handful of UK MPs, they have done nothing but fully revealed their twisted mentality toward China, as well as their arrogance and shamelessness. What they are really up to is to smear China, target against the Chinese community in the UK and undermine normal personnel exchanges between China and the UK."

It must be pointed out that the CPC and the Chinese government uphold that countries should pursue friendship and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit. "This is what we have been saying and what we have been doing. This is also why China has so many friends around the world," the statement said.

Chinese Embassy's statement also urged the UK to have a right perception of China, see the historical trend clearly, and handle its relations with China on the basis of mutual respect, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit.

"We urge the UK side to immediately stop creating trouble, stop anti-China political manipulations, and stop undermining normal personnel exchanges between China and the UK," it noted.

Citing four sources with knowledge of the matter, Reuters reported on Monday that "Britain's Labour government has pared back an audit of relations with China, preparing the way for a less critical report that could help Prime Minister Keir Starmer focus on improving economic ties."

On Monday, when he was questioned about the case, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was pleased with what he called progress on ties with China. The PM was cited by the Guardian as saying "Of course, we have to challenge where we must, but it's better to engage to challenge than to stay aside, as it were, important to cooperate where we can on issues like climate change, which need that cooperation. So I'm very pleased with the engagement and the progress that we've made."

In response to Paraguay's announcement on Thursday to expel a Chinese diplomat under the excuse of "interference in internal affairs," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday that the accusations and demands made by relevant Paraguayan departments against members of the Chinese delegation to the UNESCO session in Paraguay are baseless and unjustified, seriously violating international practices. China firmly opposes such actions.

Lin said that recently, at the invitation of the Paraguayan government, the Chinese government delegation attended the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO. As a member of the United Nations and UNESCO, and as the host of this session, Paraguay's accusations and demands against members of the Chinese delegation are baseless and unjustified, seriously violating international practices.

Lin emphasized that there is only one China in the world, and the island of Taiwan is an inseparable part of the Chinese territory. The one-China principle has been affirmed by UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and is widely recognized as a fundamental norm in international relations, as well as a consensus within the international community. Reaffirming and upholding the one-China principle is legitimate and transparent anywhere in the world, and there is no issue of "interference in internal affairs."

A Chinese diplomat's visa was canceled by Paraguay, and he was ordered to leave, the South American country's foreign ministry said on Thursday, according to the Reuters.

China on Tuesday urged the US not to take China's goodwill for granted and work to ensure that the hard-won positive dynamics will stay in the China-US counternarcotics cooperation, noting that China remains ready to continue counternarcotics cooperation with the US on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and mutual respect.

The remarks by a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry were made in response to that US President-elect Donald Trump said on social media that he "had many talks with China about the massive amounts of drugs, in particular Fentanyl, being sent into the United States—But to no avail… and drugs are pouring into our country." The US will be charging China an additional 10 percent tariff on all Chinese imports.

The spokesperson noted that China is one of the world's toughest countries on counternarcotics both in terms of policy and its implementation. Fentanyl is an issue for the US. In the spirit of humanity, China has given support to the US's response to this issue. As early as in 2019, China officially scheduled all fentanyl-related substances and is the first country in the world ever to do so.

China has carried out extensive and in-depth counternarcotics cooperation with the US, which has been highly productive. This is a clear fact for all to see, the spokesperson stressed.

President-elect Donald Trump threatened on Monday to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. He said he would impose a 25 percent tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10 percent tariff on goods from China, as one of his first executive orders, the Associated Press reported.

"Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America," he wrote on his Truth Social site.

In response to the remarks, a Chinese embassy spokesperson in Washington told the Global Times in an emailed reply that "About the issue of US tariffs on China, China believes that China-US economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial in nature. No one will win a trade war or a tariff war."

The counternarcotics authorities of China and the US have resumed regular communication since the San Francisco Summit. The Chinese side has notified the US side of the progress made in US-related law enforcement operations against narcotics. China has responded to US request for verifying clues on certain cases and taken action, the spokesperson told the Global Times.

All these prove that the idea of China knowingly allowing fentanyl precursors to flow into the US runs completely counter to facts and reality, the spokesperson noted.

Chinese ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong reiterated in a recent interview that there will be negative consequences for the bilateral relationship if Wellington were to join AUKUS. 

Expressing significant concerns about the trilateral security pact between Australia, the US and the UK, Wang said in an interview with Radio New Zealand released on Wednesday that AUKUS entails the transfer of weapons-grade nuclear materials from a nuclear weapon state to a non-nuclear weapon state for the first time in history. "If that is allowed to happen, it will raise serious questions about the integrity of the [nuclear] Non-Proliferation Treaty regime," Wang said. 

"Inevitably, that [joining AUKUS] will have a negative impact on the [China-New Zealand] relationship," the Chinese envoy said, noting that "trust is one of the most precious but also one of the most fragile commodities. It may take years to build up; it just might take seconds to be destroyed."

"We would advise against anything that threatens to erode that very important trust between us," Wang said.

The Chinese Embassy in New Zealand has confirmed the interview content to the Global Times on Wednesday.

Since diplomatic ties were established in 1972, China and New Zealand have achieved remarkable progress in various fields of cooperation. This mutually beneficial relationship has not only brought tangible benefits to both sides but also made positive contributions to the stability and development of the Asia-Pacific region. 

"That's why China cautions against any factors that could undermine this foundation of friendly cooperation," Chen Hong, director of the New Zealand Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

New Zealand has always been able to maintain an independent foreign policy in international affairs, showing strong strategic resilience in balancing ties with major powers. However, the current New Zealand government appears to be gradually straying from this position on certain issues, Chen said. 

In the interview, the Chinese envoy called AUKUS the product of a "zero-sum Cold War mentality," while expressing the hope that New Zealand will take into account its own long-term best interests, the potential implications for regional security, and the impact on the relationship between China and New Zealand, according to the interview.

On another occasion while speaking at the Wellington-based think tank Diplosphere, the Chinese ambassador said "We don't believe in exclusive blocs or alliances targeted at other countries. As has been shown by history, rather than bringing peace and security, such blocs or alliances almost always lead to greater divisiveness, confrontation and even conflict or war," per the release from the embassy's WeChat account on Wednesday.

"AUKUS is a military bloc aimed at containing China's development. Its explicit purpose is to weaken China's influence in the Asia-Pacific region through military deterrence and technological blockades. The two core pillars of AUKUS involve the provision of nuclear-powered submarines and the sharing of advanced military technologies, both of which pose direct threats to China," Chen noted. 

"Therefore, any country that joins AUKUS will inevitably be perceived as positioning itself against China. For New Zealand, this would mean a severe impact on its comprehensive strategic partnership with China, even altering the very nature of this relationship," Chen continued. 

New Zealand has previously said it is "information-gathering" on future cooperation with the AUKUS grouping but has made no commitments, per a Reuters report on Wednesday.

The three AUKUS partners said in September that they were "in discussions with Canada, Japan and New Zealand about potential collaboration on defense technology projects," another Reuters report said. 

Chen believes that the voices calling for joining AUKUS in New Zealand stem primarily from a growing domestic push from far-right anti-China forces to "take sides", as well as external pressures from countries such as the US. 

What's more, while the New Zealand government may seek to gain access to advanced US military technologies by joining the grouping, Chen said this expectation is "quite unrealistic" - as the US maintains strict controls on technology exports and sharing, so even if New Zealand joins AUKUS, the technology it could access is likely to be highly limited.  

If Wellington were to join AUKUS, the losses would outweigh the gains - first, as a "safe haven" of the South Pacific traditionally far from international conflicts, the strategic risks will dramatically increase, second, it will inflict significant damage on trade and investment relations with China, furthermore, it will have a long-term negative impact on the stability of the Asia-Pacific region, Chen said.