New Zealand Rejects Myanmar After Both Join World’s Largest Free Trade Deal

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that all high-level political contact with Myanmar would end, at a cabinet meeting on Feb. 9, 2021. Photo: Robert Kitchin/Stuff

On Feb. 9, after months of internationally condemning Myanmar's military government, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that all “high-level” political contact between the two countries would end. Ardern also instituted a travel ban on Myanmar’s military leaders.

The news comes after both nations ratified the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a trade deal between China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

RCEP went into effect on Jan. 1, and is the largest free trade agreement in history, providing economic advantages for trading and reducing tariffs between all 15 member nations. New Zealand has decided not to recognize Myanmar’s presence in the deal, in opposition to its illegitimate military government. 

“New Zealand has maintained a principled stance on Myanmar, and this includes our position that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership does not apply between New Zealand and Myanmar at this time,” a spokesperson for New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the Associated Press. 

New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Christalin Thangpawl, chairwomen of the New Zealand Myanmar Ethnics Council, at a protest against the Myanmar military coup last February. Photo: Robert Kitchin/Stuff

It was hoped that RCEP would reverse economic damage as a result of COVID-19 for all 15 participating nations. It is unclear what New Zealand’s Thursday announcement will mean for the Chinese-led free trade deal. Indonesia notably still has yet to ratify the agreement. 

Yesterday, the Philippines followed New Zealand’s example and rejected the inclusion of Myanmar in the deal, though Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. gave no reason for the decision. Whether the multi-national resistance to Myanmar’s current government will result in more obstacles to RCEP’s implementation or Myanmar’s exclusion from the deal is unknown. 

Myanmar’s military takeover, which started with a coup on Feb. 1 of last year, has had a death toll of over 1,000 civilians and resulted in the arrest of thousands, including democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The annual ASEAN foreign ministers meeting was held on Thursday in Cambodia. Myanmar’s Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin was not invited. 

“New Zealand remains gravely concerned at the situation in Myanmar and continues to call for the immediate cessation of violence and for the release of all those arbitrarily detained by the military regime.”