– Professor Hugh White believes that New Zealand should separate defence cooperation from the Aukus deal to avoid getting entangled in the symbolism of countering China
– He believes that the escalating rivalry between the US and China poses a serious risk of a catastrophic conflict
– White is sceptical of the Aukus deal, believing that Australia should stick with conventional submarines instead of acquiring nuclear-powered subs
– He also believes that Aukus will fail at some point over the next few decades
– New Zealand has been invited to collaborate on some aspects of Aukus pillar two, involving advanced technologies
– White believes that technology sharing under Aukus is being misrepresented as a substantial step forward in alignment with the US
– He urges New Zealand to consider what signals its participation in Aukus sends about the future of the Asia Pacific region
– White believes that attempts by the US to retain primacy in the region will be both dangerous and unsuccessful
– He emphasizes the importance of picking outcomes rather than sides in the strategic challenges in Asia

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