(VOVWORLD) - New Zealand’s navy will join the UK’s flagship aircraft carrier on a tour of the Indo-Pacific, including a pass through the South China Sea (called East Sea in Vietnam), New Zealand Defense Minister Peeni Henare announced Tuesday.
 New Zealand Defense Minister Peeni Henare (Photo: Mark Mitchell) |
They will tour 40 countries in the Indo-Pacific this year.
New Zealand will also join the British navy in an exercise with the Five Powers Defense Arrangement countries off the east coast of Malaysia in October. The exercise will mark the 50th anniversary of the pact, which includes Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
New Zealand will send a destroyer, P-3 Orion aircraft, and 25 staff officers to participate in the exercise and may visit Japan and South Korea