In Aukus security pact

‘‘And cyber is one area that we’d certainly be interested in, but there’s no detail yet – so we will be looking for detail.’’

When the Aukus agreement was announced last month, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed that any nuclear-powered submarines Australia acquired under the initiative would not be allowed into her country’s territorial waters.

New Zealand is hosting the Apec summit’s leaders’ meeting next month, where the economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic will be top of the agenda.

The country, which has been hosting Apec meetings for months, has already secured agreements among members to slash tariffs on vaccines, protective masks, syringes and soap, and to create an ‘‘express lane’’ so vaccines are no longer tied up in customs for days.

New Zealand has been focused on revitalising Apec after a damaging economic spat between China and the United States derailed the summit in 2018, with leaders from 21 nations around the Pacific Rim failing to agree on a united message.

King said Apec was still an important global body because it brought together the ‘‘major powers of the world along with the minions like ourselves’’.

‘‘So I think that it does have a very important role to play in bringing people together to sit down and talk about the issues,’’ she said.

She also reiterated New Zealand’s opposition to having to repatriate a suspected member of the Islamic State terrorist group who grew up in Australia.

New Zealand reluctantly agreed to take Suhayra Aden after Australia cancelled her citizenship under its anti-terrorism laws. Ardern said in February that Australia had ‘‘abdicated its responsibilities’’ by stripping her citizenship.

King said the two countries have now agreed to work together if there were any similar issues in the future.