Mahuta drew on metaphors heavily to describe New Zealand’s contemporary relationship with China.
“When I think about this relationship … I liken it to the respect a taniwha would have for a dragon, and vice versa,” she told the NZ China Council in Wellington.
[…] “Taniwha are endemic to Aotearoa but can trace their whakapapa across the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean – Te Moana nui a Kiwa. Taniwha are protectors or guardians, often of water, and hold dominion over rivers, seas, lands and territories.
[…] “The taniwha, like the dragon, has the ability to understand the essence of its environment and changing conditions – as well as the ability to adapt and survive.
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