SYDNEY — New Zealand released Monday a defense plan under which spending would rise to 2% of gross domestic product from the current 1% within eight years, aiming to strengthen deterrence with an eye toward China.
The Defence Capability Plan — New Zealand’s first since 2019 and the first to come out under Prime Minister Christopher Luxon — includes a commitment of 12 billion New Zealand dollars ($6.6 billion) in funding over the next four years, with a NZ$9 billion in newly announced spending. The country now spends around NZ$5 billion a year on defense.
