Welcome back, you have been missed. Of course China does not care about the rest of the world. When you own or nearly own it, you don't have to care. If there is politics behind Landcorp and the Crafar farms, well why not. Sounds to me that even Bill Ralston does not know what is going on with his chinese partners. They seem a shifty lot anyway.

Globally, this is going to be China's century, I believe, and although some seem not to realise it, the Chinese government plans decades ahead, to influence as much of the rest of the world as possible, something that should be obvious from their policies in the Pacific. I am not anti-Chinese. Frankly, NZ will need China economically. Had Russell Norman done what he did in Beijing Colin, as you say, the point of the gun or the life time in prison would have applied. Key needs to get a balance between facilitating the gain of level of economic cooperation with China this country needs and maintaining systems of values and justice we value, especially on our own patch of the planet. So far, though I'd like to be able to say different, I have only seen him grovel to China, the new Aussie PM and other players on the world stage, while I have not seen any sign of a coherent foreign policy developing on his watch. He knows he can't ignore China, and he shouldn't. The 21st century will be China's time and like it or not, NZ needs China more than it needs anybody else. But our systems of values and justice are important too.

If the Chinese group makes the highest bid for the dairy farms wouldn't it be a form of corruption and misuse of the global financial system not to accept their bid. The whole system, rightly or wrongly, rewards the highest bidder. Otherwise it will seem to them that we are anti-Chinese and xenephobic. We will increasingly need China as world events are playing out. It will be the dominant power, and its people have a long standing genetic link to Te Tangata Whenua o Aotearoa, unlike the pakeha colonizers of the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Hong Kong group should get the Crayfar Farms if they are the highest bidder and Landcorp if its them. Doing anything else would be an internal category contradiction, flip-flop or circumvention of the conventions of the system given John Key's stated goals in the media over the last 24 hours.

Last time I look Asia was in the northern hemisphere.

That's politics - trying to please constituencies at home while ensuring economic security through trade. John Key is doing his utmost to secure the best trade deals he can for us so we can keep a decent standard of living now and in the future. He has my full support as China (and Asia) will be our salvation with all those hungry mouths.

I think we need to engage economically with India and China but on New Zealand soil anybody should be permitted to protest peacefully and John Key was wrong to express regret about it on his visit to China. It demeans New zealand our prime minister cowtowing in that way. At the same time he is right to build up the trade relationships and can't deny the Chinese the right to buy the Crayfar businesses if their tender is the highest, but I hope that wouldn't mean they could harvest dogs on the dairy farms or anything like that which would be unacceptable to the big majority of New Zealanders including me.

I doubt very much that Mr Key will make any statements re human right issues in China. I also think Mr Norman was over the top with his flag protest but I admire the man for having the courage to protest. I really think this Prime Minister has not the courage required to front up and tell the Chinese how the majority of the people in this country feel about freedon of speech and movement. honestly if there was an election tomorrow I would not know who to vote for ......certainly not labour and I have never voted national. Any one prepared to start a party with some sort of values for all of the the country not just the chosen few?

This sort of stuff concerns me Pandering to China on Key agenda By Fran O'Sullivan http://www.nzherald.co.nz/best-of-business-analysis/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501241&objectid=10657008 What benefit will be get from having the Chinese build our infrastructure? The cost up front may be cheaper than our local companies can do it, but the bulk of the tax payer money spent on the project(s) will head back to the mainland.

Selling 8000 Ha of highly productive land to a major buyer of dairy product is just plain stupid. This offer is the thin end of a VERY large wedge!

I suggest #4 look on the map of the world and additionally learn a little bit about globalisation and spheres of political influence (though acknowledge most of Asia is geographically north).

Sam #1 that sounds like a real redneck sort of comment on the basis of saying they are "shifty" and insulting Bill Ralston. Perhaps you are trying to express some concerns articulated in a couple of the other posts. Though I might share some of them with you the fact is:

If I have a house for sale and a Kiwi offers me $440 000 and a Chinese 445 500 the whole capitalist system is predicated on the assumption I'd accept the higher bid. Key can't make noises to the Chinese giving lip service to this without walking the walk as well. The rules have changed and we can no longer insulate our economy.