New Zealand, US relationship on strong footing, says NZ foreign minister

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said his country’s relationship with the United States is on a "strong footing” as he wrapped up a trip to Washington.

Peters met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Head of the U.S. Office of Foreign Assistance Peter Marocco, and a range of other administration and Congressional representatives.

New Zealand is a close friend of the United States but not an official ally. The two countries have worked together in the Pacific to offset the growing influence of China, but there are concerns among some lawmakers in New Zealand about what the change in administration in the U.S. and its suspension of aid funding will mean for the Pacific region.

“We have agreed with the United States that we should continue to work together for a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Peters said.

“We have also talked about all the areas where New Zealand and the United States have interests in common,” Peter said.

“These include the prosperity and stability of the Pacific Islands, promoting a balanced and mutually beneficial trade and economic relationship, and cooperating more on space and technology and in Antarctica.”

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Stephen Coates)