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Summary
- The Five Eyes Alliance was formed for co-operation on signals intelligence.
- However, the member countries are giving opinions and raising concerns about issues outside the stated realm, such as Hong Kong and the Uyghurs province.
- NZ does not consider the alliance to be the first point of contact on every issue to be taken up and indicating independent foreign policy.
The Five Eyes (FVEY) is an intelligence alliance of the five countries, which include the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. These countries have entered into an agreement for co-operating with each other on security-associated signal intelligence.
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Below are the country-wise details of their year of joining the Five Eyes Alliance:
NZ Foreign Minister Questions The Expanding Role Of The Five Eyes Alliance
According to the latest reports, Nanaia Mahuta, New Zealand's foreign minister, stated that her country did not favour the enhanced role and efforts of the Five Eyes in pressuring China by way of intelligence sharing by the Five Eyes.
She has questioned the Five Eyes on expressing concerns on the matters, which otherwise are outside the spectrum of the group.
Mahuta has expressed that the country aimed for a more independent foreign policy.
It must be noted that China is New Zealand’s biggest business partner and NZ is keen on maintaining a diplomatic relationship with the country.
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Issues Related To Hong Kong And The Uyghurs Region
Lately, the alliance members spoke of issues other than signal intelligence, like China’s increased authoritarianism in Hong Kong, wherein more than 50 pro-democratic activists were to report to police.
Further, these members also raised their voices against the maltreatment and the humiliation of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China.
This angered the Chinese administration, who sees the Five Eyes group as a hindrance to China's security and sovereignty.
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NZ Takes A Stand
The foreign minister opined that the country would make its stand known when it did not agree with China on issues, be it regarding the recent developments in Hong Kong or the treatment of the Uyghurs in the Xinjiang province.
It should be marked that the Chinese foreign ministry has time and again condemned the Five Eyes, especially when all its alliance members jointly issued a statement in November 2020 on Hong Kong's treatment of the pro-democracy legislators.
In March 2021, a spokesperson from the Chinese foreign ministry accused the Five Eyes group of targeting China when both New Zealand and Australia went on to speak of Xinjiang.
As per Marise Payne, Australia's Foreign Minister, in 2020, the Five Eyes, apart from intelligence sharing, had also discussed the measures related to critical technology, supply chains, Hong Kong, and the novel coronavirus.
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