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Home >

Speeches >

Speech to CSCAP 2nd Study Group Meeting on Naval
Enhancement...

Wayne Mapp

26 March, 2010

Speech to CSCAP 2nd Study Group Meeting on Naval Enhancement in the
Asia-Pacific

I would like to thank the Council for Security Cooperation in the
Asia-Pacific (CSCAP) for this opportunity to speak to the 2nd Study Group
Meeting on Naval Enhancement in the Asia-Pacific.

I would particularly like to welcome to New Zealand those from
overseas.

There are four main points I would like to make this evening:

First, our region is increasingly integrated. The shift in global
power to the Asia-Pacific is a positive thing. I am optimistic it can
be managed peacefully. Regional institutions are important in this
respect.

Second, our White Paper will cover the range of roles for disciplined
forces in the Asia-Pacific. This involves a capability mix that
stretches from humanitarian assistance to inter-state conflict.

Third, New Zealand has enhanced its maritime surveillance and
patrol capabilities through acquisition of the Project Protector fleet and
upgrades of the P-3 Orions. We are going to release a White Paper in September
outlining our wider defence intentions.

Fourth, we continue to actively deploy and exercise with other
countries to build regional capacity.

But first it is worth situating New Zealand relative to our
neighbours.

New Zealand is one of the most geographically isolated nations on earth. It
sits at the bottom of an arc down through South-East Asia and Australia, and
forms a final port of call in the Asia-Pacific before Antarctica.

Jim Bolger, the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand, said in the
early 90s that New Zealand was an Asian country. At the time he was met
with scepticism, but his words are much truer today.

New Zealand's people - our migrants, our tourists, and our international
students - are part of ever increasing people-to-people links with Asia.

Our major trading partners are now in the Asia-Pacific. Five of our largest
10 export markets are in North Asia.

There has been a shift in global power to the Asia-Pacific region. The
fallout from the global economic and financial crisis has given a sharper
context to this shift.

New Zealand's trade with Asia is largely by sea. Unimpeded passage through
the region's shipping lanes is critical to our economic well-being.

This leads to the first point, the integration of the region.

New Zealand's interest is in a peaceful Pacific in which trade can flow
unimpeded, where lawful conduct is the norm, and where navies co-operatively
work to sustain the freedom of the seas. This means peaceful relations between
the states of the Asia-Pacific.

Our interests are best served by a region in which the major powers are
generally in accord on key issues and share a common understanding of how they
should be managed.

Regional institutions such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, APEC, the East Asia
Summit, and, of course, track II organisations like CSCAP play an important part
in this.

These institutions provide a framework for the diverse interests of the
states of the region. They build confidence between defence forces, encourage
openness, and thereby reduce the risk of miscalculation.

Some commentators have pointed to the modernisation plans of many of the
region's defence forces, in particular their navies, as a further source of
possible tension.  However, it is inevitable that naval capability will
grow along with economic capability.

The relevant question is not scale, but intention. Changes in relative power
will put a premium on diplomacy and mutual interest.

The principal change in the region's navies has been the shift away from
naval capabilities based on protecting littoral waterways to more capable
surface and sub-surface vessels that are able to operate in international
settings some distance from home.

As the Asia-Pacific region becomes more prosperous, expenditure on defence
has increased to levels more closely aligned to how the region's countries see
their place in the world.  It is not uncommon for defence spending to
increase as countries aspire to have greater
influence.

This leads directly to the second point, the New Zealand White Paper.

In looking at the strategic environment, our key mutual interest is stability
and security. Our defence forces effect that by having the necessary
capabilities and practical utility.

We will release a Defence White Paper in September this year. The White Paper
will inform our partners about how New Zealand will continue to play our part in
the security of the region. Maritime security is a significant component of that
contribution.

The White Paper will determine a capability mix and force structure that
provides the Government with an appropriate set of options, ranging from
humanitarian assistance to combat capabilities. These options will allow us to
meet our security obligations and deliver value for money.

New Zealand, however, faces tight fiscal realities, and so we must be more
deliberate on where our defence dollars are spent. The White Paper will
therefore outline a realistic and affordable defence plan.

The Project Protector vessels are an important new aspect of New
Zealand's capability mix. They significantly enhance our maritime patrol
and sealift capabilities and they can respond to a range of foreseeable tasks in
our EEZ and the South Pacific.

The IPVs support whole-of-government maritime surveillance activities out to
approximately 200 nautical miles. The OPVs will extend that range into the
Pacific and Southern Oceans.

The Project Protector vessels free up the Naval Combat Force to focus
primarily on bluewater tasks, including in the Asia-Pacific
region.

As noted under the third point, New Zealand has very sophisticated
surveillance capabilities.

We have invested heavily in maritime surveillance, particularly with the Air
Force's P-3 Orions.  We are the smallest nation in the world that operates
such a sophisticated capability.

There is a case for investing in a short-range, less advanced aircraft to
cover low-level tasks in our EEZ and the South Pacific. This would free the
Orions for long-range military tasking.

Capabilities without intention are irrelevant. My fourth point is about what
we actually do with our partners.

We actively deploy and exercise with other countries to build regional
capacity.

Our deployments to Afghanistan, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste are evidence
of our commitment to the region. So too is our response to the recent spate of
natural disasters in the Pacific, from the tsunami which struck Samoa to the
recent devastation of Hurricane Tomas in Fiji.

We regularly contribute P-3 Orions, combat and combat support vessels, and
the Littoral Warfare Support Group to FPDA exercises.

We are deepening our defence relations with key countries in Asia, including
China, India, and Japan.

Continued improvement in our defence relationship with the United States is
opening up more opportunities to participate in multi-lateral exercises in the
region.

We should also not forget the important role that countries like France play.
FANC capabilities have been to crucial to the success of humanitarian relief
efforts in the Pacific.

New Zealand is an active member of the PSI.  As nuclear, biological and
chemical technologies come within reach of more state and non-state actors,
counter-proliferation initiatives, such as the PSI, will become more important
in the Asia Pacific.

Security issues addressed by the ARF have expanded in recent years. They now
include non-traditional security threats, such as natural disasters, terrorism,
maritime security, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, transnational
crime and disease epidemics.

New Zealand welcomes the continuing development of the ARF and other regional
institutions. We are committed to playing an active part. As you know, next week
NZ is hosting the 2nd Inter-sessional Meeting on Maritime Security.

In closing, I would again emphasise my optimism that change in our region can
be successfully managed.

We all wish to see a peaceful Asia-Pacific with unimpeded flows of trade and
free movement of people.

Regional institutions like the ARF and CSCAP help to develop a common
understanding around shared interests. Disciplined forces play a vital role
securing peaceful exchange of goods and people.

New Zealand continues to enhance its maritime capabilities in support of the
regional effort.

Our forthcoming White Paper will outline our intentions in this regard. It
will set out a realistic and affordable future for the NZDF.

Track II institutions such as CSCAP have an important role to play in
building regional confidence. I wish you well over the next two days of your
meeting.

Wayne Mapp

Defence

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