I agree with you about why it is bad. However the sentiment in your comment, "They don't need the US" I don't quite agree with. Yes it is amazing that NZ has

I agree with you about why it is bad. However the sentiment in your comment, "They don't need the US" I don't quite agree with. Yes it is amazing that NZ has a free trade agreement with China. I think it was the first in the western world to do so. However only the huge export companies and cooperatives like Fonterra have managed to make use of it. Due to the language and cultural differences 'ordinary' kiwi small to medium businesses are not able to capitalize on the agreement. In comparison a trade deal with the US wouldn't have such difficult language and cultural differences. Trade benefits both partners and increases wealth. So while it may be true that NZ doesn't need trade agreement with the US it still needs good relations especially for defense purposes. I believe it is possible to invade NZ with one aircraft carrier, several submarines, a small fleet of supersonic jets and a relatively small mercenary ground force. Hardly anything really. I still think that if a Maori revolutionary group ever got serious financial backing for military weaponry NZ would be in trouble. Why any country would want to invade NZ is another story but the point is that NZ's defense forces are weak and few and it needs defense partnerships with the US and Australia to guarantee that no one would consider an invasion because of the threat of US and Australian intervention. Sure you might include the UK but the logistics of deployment of UK military assets would make it difficult.