Let's talk about the Chinese test of that nuclear-capable missile. More specifically, let's talk about New Zealand's response to it, which was quite full-throated in its criticism of China.

I find myself unable to get as worked up about this as Winston Peters because, please correct me if I'm wrong, I can't see that China has actually broken any rules here. Before firing the missile, China alerted New Zealand, Australia and Japan, as required under international regulations governing tests of this nature.

And even though there's been a lot of noise about China firing a nuclear-capable missile into a nuclear-free zone, it was only nuclear-capable; it was not actually carrying a nuclear warhead. It was a dummy.

Sure, I'd admit they were pushing hard up against what people would be comfortable with. But then again, missiles are generally not things people are comfortable with.

As far as I can see, the New Zealand Government's angry response is largely posturing because we're required to posture. The reason I'm not quite as worked up is that this doesn't actually surprise me.

Anyone who's followed what China has been up to lately knows that it's building up its military and not just so it can put on impressive displays.

I do wonder, though, whether China has made a bit of a mistake here, just as it may have done last year when it conducted live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea. This kind of activity from China could freak people out a bit, or, if not freak them out, at least wake them up to the fact that China is not simply a benign trading partner. It is a military superpower with clear strategic ambitions, probably involving Taiwan.

So I wouldn't be surprised if this creates greater support in New Zealand for increased defence spending, which is actually something we need to do. Nor would I be surprised if it unsettles some of our Pacific neighbours and drives them closer to New Zealand and Australia, which is arguably what we want.

In a way, I don't actually mind that China did this, if only because it might help us collectively wake up a little to what is really happening in our region.

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