The government has dismissed claims that the FBI’s new office in Wellington is meant to counter China, despite the FBI director’s remarks pointing to China as a key concern.
FBI Director Kash Patel, a Trump-era appointee, announced the launch of a dedicated FBI attaché office in New Zealand’s capital. In a statement and video, Patel said the United States and New Zealand cooperate on “some of the most important global issues of our times.” Leading the list was “countering the CCP (Chinese Communist Party)” in the Indo-Pacific region. Other challenges mentioned were fighting narcotics, cyberattacks, ransomware, and protecting citizens worldwide.
An FBI spokesperson described the new office as a “historic step” to strengthen ties with New Zealand. It aims to address “growing threats of our time” in the Indo-Pacific, especially from “hostile nation-state actors like the Chinese Communist Party.”
Patel noted a “strong relationship” with New Zealand’s agencies and said the FBI has worked closely with them for years. He met key New Zealand ministers, including Judith Collins, responsible for intelligence agencies GCSB and NZSIS, Police Minister Mark Mitchell, and Foreign Minister Winston Peters.
Collins called the meeting “excellent,” highlighting the need for even closer cooperation between the FBI, intelligence services, and police. She said upgrading the FBI presence from a few agents to a full office directly linked to Washington was positive.
“We were the only Five Eyes partner without a full FBI office,” Collins said. “Now we have one, and we love it.”
She pushed back strongly on the idea the office targets China’s influence. Instead, she said, it focuses on transnational crime like drug trafficking and interference in Pacific countries’ systems. Collins pointed to gun-running and major drug networks operating across the Pacific.
When asked about Patel’s comments on China, Collins replied, “I don’t respond to other people’s press releases. That’s his position, not mine.”
She also noted the US is focused on fentanyl, while New Zealand targets methamphetamine. Collins emphasized that New Zealand’s security agencies deal with international crime without singling out any one country.
Regarding China’s naval activities near New Zealand and missile launches, Collins said the FBI’s role is limited and mostly a US decision. She added, “This is our country, our sovereign right.”
Secrecy around Patel’s visit was due to security concerns, she said, noting the US made its own arrangements which New Zealand respected.
Foreign Minister Peters described the new FBI office as a “serious utility” to help fight crime and drugs in the Pacific. He said China was not discussed during his meeting with Patel.
“We never raised that issue. We talked about Pacific law and order, and how we can help,” Peters said. He rejected the narrative that the office was about China.
Police Minister Mitchell praised Patel as “down to earth” and knowledgeable. He said methamphetamine is a shared challenge for both countries. Mitchell said the new office builds on strong existing US-New Zealand ties and helps support Pacific nations struggling with drug problems.
Mitchell declined to say if the FBI office’s presence signals growing US ties, calling it “a positive step” for law enforcement cooperation. He said whether New Zealanders would staff the office is an operational matter to be worked out.
Labour’s deputy Carmel Sepuloni said the announcement came as a surprise and noted the public deserved a clear explanation.
Green Party intelligence spokesperson Teanau Tuiono criticized the office, saying New Zealand should not allow foreign powers to set up such offices. Tuiono repeated calls for New Zealand to leave the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, citing concerns over the Trump-era US government and global shifts in alliances.
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour defended the FBI office, calling the US a “long and strong friend” and saying the office only strengthens ties. He dismissed the Greens’ calls to exit Five Eyes as unrealistic in today’s global security environment.