This is the cool thing about NZ. They’re so geographically out of play, they can do/say whatever, geopolitically, without anyone caring.

What’s someone gonna do? Go fight them out in the carpark ten blocks away just to get absolutely nothing out of it?

I think the only time they upset someone was when they disallowed bringing nuclear vessels and aircraft into their territory.

USA: “You’ll regret that.”
NZ: “Meh…”

Three decades on, NZ still just chillin’. No need for the protection of the Pacific fleet lol