China is New Zealand’s top trading partner, accounting for 18.4% of total trade; next is Australia (15.1%) and then the USA (12.6%).

So why are 3 of China’s warships in the Tasman Sea firing pop guns around as an exercise? Are they practicing dealing with smugglers or pirates, and have decided to go well away from home waters because they’re tired of the Americans showing up with their warships and aircraft?

According to the NZ Herald: “[the flotilla] comprises a destroyer or a cruiser, and a frigate, and a refueller.”

The Herald adds: “A furore broke out on Friday, after commercial airline staff picked up unexpected radio messages from Chinese navy ships in the Tasman Sea, warning them to divert from an area between New Zealand and Australia, where military drills were being carried out.

“Several airlines confirmed they had rerouted, changed their flight paths or were monitoring the situation.”

NZ PM Luxon said the Chinese Government did not inform New Zealand as to why the “task group” were in the region and where they were going.

“We haven’t been given a reason as to why they’re here in this configuration with this set of ships, with these different set of capabilities, and we don’t really have a sense of, you know, we haven’t been told where they’re going and why.

“They are in international waters, they are completely within the balance of international law and the UN Convention on the law on the sea, which is important, it is important that all countries have freedom of navigation, it works for us when we are out and about in the world as well.”

Luxon said the HMNZS Te Kaha frigate was monitoring with support from P-8A Poseidon aircraft.

Defense Minister Judith Collins added the Chinese naval Task Group had advised of its intent to conduct live firing via radio channels.

Quite why it should matter is hard to fathom. NZ and Australia don’t yet treat China as a crocodile in the lounge like they do Russia, because Blinken told them to.

China’s record of invading other countries is nil, although they helped North Korea in the early 1950s and North Vietnam in the 1960s. While it still has a one party government and one that calls itself Communist (which Russia’s doesn’t), these days its economic system is raw capitalist — as is Russia’s — and China does very well from it, as does Russia.

While TV One got excited as it often does about no matter what, it seems the government politicians aren’t too concerned.

One of several satirical memes: