New Zealand rejects US 'forced labour' claims as tariffs hiked
The United States has raised tariffs on New Zealand, citing forced-labour allegations as justification. New Zealand's trade minister rejected the claims as pretextual, saying Washington is "looking for any way to put a tariff rate back on," and suggested the decision would stand regardless of Wellington's response.
The United States has raised tariffs on New Zealand, citing forced-labour allegations as the justification for the increase. The move adds New Zealand to the list of trading partners facing higher US tariff rates this year, though Washington has not detailed the specific evidence behind the forced-labour claims.
New Zealand's trade minister rejected the allegations as pretextual, telling reporters, "They're looking for any way to put a tariff rate back on." The minister argued that the forced-labour justification was a convenient pretext rather than a genuine trade concern, and that similar reasoning could be applied to justify tariffs on almost any exporting country.
Asked whether New Zealand's response could change the outcome, the minister suggested the tariff decision was effectively already made in Washington, saying the Trump administration was "going to do" what it was going to do regardless. New Zealand has not signalled plans to retaliate, and trade officials are expected to keep seeking clarification from Washington on the tariff rationale.
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