Key to launch APEC with criticism of US, Japan

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APEC to launch with criticism of US, Japan

3News NZ

John Key

John Key

By Political Editor Duncan Garner in Vladivostok

Prime Minister John Key is expected to heavily criticise the United States, Japan and Europe in his speech to the APEC CEO's summit this morning, NZ time.

He will argue they should abandon their huge agriculture subsidies, which amounts to billions of dollars and protects their farmers from competition - especially from New Zealand.

With APEC being all about trade liberalisation and the dropping of protectionist subsidies and barriers, Mr Key's speech should be seen as a direct swipe at the APEC heavyweights, the United States and Japan.

It is also a direct challenge and criticism of their trade policies, which is expected to cause some controversy to kick of the APEC meeting.

Both countries continue to talk about free trade and its merits, yet both still continue to have heavy protections in place for their agriculture and farming industries.

"New Zealand got rid of our subsidies years ago and we've proved we can make money and be the best in the world," Mr Key told 3 News on the way up to the meeting.

Mr Key's message is also expected to be pitched in terms of debt as well. Both the US, Japan and European countries remain in heavy budget deficits, and Mr Key is expected to suggest that dropping subsidies is a way to save money.

Mr Key speaks this morning at 11:30am NZ time, before starting three days of APEC meetings.

3 News

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Comments

7/09/2012 6:13:37 p.m.

John wrote:

@Gary. You need to wake up about China's real objectives and the history and crimes of its communist govt. Western democracies need to stand together. China is a massive threat.

7/09/2012 5:30:52 p.m.

Gary wrote:

@ @TONY you are very mis-led my freind. U.S is the largest problem war hungry country in the world. China never invades other countries or starts B/S wars for greed. They work at improving their own back yard and will become the largest market and welthiest country in the world. They have different values and do not follow Christian stories but have the oldest history and largest population so they can not be all that wrong! U.S feed us all their propaganda B/S and we just believe it - try looking past the B/S you may not like what you find!!

7/09/2012 1:05:42 p.m.

david wrote:

Thank you Tony, I agree but would just like to add a few extra comments. At last someone is tackling the problem of subsidies. I recall in the Muldoon era, the US refused to buy sheepmeat from us because the farmers were subsidised. Europe, as it was, limited the amount of butter they imported because of subsidies. On the other hand, the US was subsidising cotton to such an extent, that cotton imported into Africa from the US was selling at prices well below the subsistence prices paid to African farmers. The Japanese on the other hand have for many years taxed imported good so highly that the local population were forced to endure unreasonably high prices for consummables. As an example, duties of up to several hundred percent on their staple diet, rice. It is interesting that the US and Japan are looking to form an unholy alliance and become the dominant power in the Asia-Pacific region, yet only a few years ago were attempting to bomb each other out of existence. My how things have changed since their respective positions of dominance have been threatened.

7/09/2012 11:59:18 a.m.

@Tony wrote:

Ok you're anti-US but you say nothing about Communist fake-product slave labour dictatorship China... who are far far worse. Would prefer Barack Obama any day over some Communist apparatchik. NZ needs to restore its alliance with the US and that would open the way for closer trade relationships, cf Australia's FTA with the US.

7/09/2012 11:40:30 a.m.

Tony wrote:

The fact is that both the US & Japan DO what is best for the US & Japan but SAY what others should do. Both countries are self-serving and self absorbed, with very superior attitudes. NZ should be proud to have had some governments which have the courage to question &/or oppose the [sometimes extremely] damaging foreign policies, particularly of the US. Examples of these include: • The US originally supporting, arming and training the Taliban, which has had disastrous and widespread consequences, entangling many countries, many of which have been bullied by the US into joining them in their 'War On Terror'. • The US invading Iraq [to protect its access to Iraqui oil], justifying its actions by citing [as they always do when no other plausible reason is available] 'Nashnul Securiddy' and the presence of Weapons Of Mass Destruction. And then saying they needed other countries to help them in that invasion, bullying them to join. • Reprehensible environmental behaviour - e.g., the thoroughly-conditioned/indoctrinated US public, the US political right generally, & Republicans particularly, rejecting the possibility of climate change, despite scientific evidence supporting its reality and potentially severe consequences, and the Japs continue inhumanely and cruelly hunting whales citing 'cultural' justification and using science as a facade. • Trade agreements which on the surface appear to be 'free' but in the details, favour the Japanese &/or the Yanks. Good on you for standing up to the Pacific's two biggest bullies, John, but please listen to the majority of Kiwis who fervently believe that your government shouldn't sell NZ's public assets!

7/09/2012 11:17:56 a.m.

mmm wrote:

No more nice kisses from Hillary Clinton then. NZ is a very small player compared to the US, Japan, Russia etc and he'll be made to feel it, especially if he starts laying down the law and criticising them.

7/09/2012 11:08:19 a.m.

steve o wrote:

Oh Mr Key, Being right is such a lonely place. Little ole NZ here doing the right thing when everyone else is in the WORLD is wrong...by looking after the interests of their own people. It's interesting to compare and contrast this attitude on subsidies with that of the NACT party's stance on climate change..that being we are too small to make a difference so we won't lead. Hmmm so which is it Mr Key...do we lead of follow?

7/09/2012 10:53:33 a.m.

Richard wrote:

Might be nice if he also told the US to butt out of our legal system and that he will never ever bend over and dish out the crap on their behalf to the likes of Dotcom ever again. What a backlash that was. Be nice to remind them that our legal system is independent of theirs.

7/09/2012 9:28:52 a.m.

susanne wrote:

..all good, but will they be able to understand him?