Foreign Minister Winston Peters is condemning the use of “military language” while discussing the international trade environment, the kind of words that have been used by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

It is the latest example of the pair being at odds about New Zealand’s response to the fallout from United States President Donald Trump’s unpredictable tariff implementation regime.

Speaking at the East-West Centre in Hawaii, Peters acknowledged it was an “uncertain and anxious” time in world affairs – a nod to instability in global markets fuelled by Trump’s tariffs.

However, he dismissed the suggestions the developments were unprecedented.

“This, coupled with the hyperactive social media age we live in, can generate an urge to react too quickly and too stridently,” Peters said.

“In recent weeks, the tendency to hype up a debate about how international trade works into a black-and-white, polarising issue has been unfortunate and misguided.

“The use of military language – of a ‘trade war’, of the need to ‘fight’, of the imperative to form alliances in order to oppose the actions of one country – has at times come across as hysterical and short-sighted.”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says a "trade war" will bring consequences for New Zealand. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Peters’ critique could apply to Luxon, who had regularly spoken of the consequences New Zealand would suffer from a “trade war”.

In a speech on Thursday, Luxon concluded by stating free trade was “worth fighting for – and I’m up for that fight”.

Luxon also spent the end of last week discussing international trade with several world leaders, including Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos jnr, Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

In Luxon’s conversation with von der Leyen, the pair discussed the prospects for closer co-operation between the European Union and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), of which New Zealand was a member.

Peters, in his speech, cautioned against actions intended to “pick sides” or “form teams” amid an evolving trade landscape, advocating to “wait for the dust to settle before making choices we may later regret”.

He ended his address by promising he would “promote careful, pragmatic, quiet dialogue – aimed at de-escalation and practical problem-solving, rather than premature posturing”.

Peters to Luxon: ‘Call me next time’

On Friday while in Tonga, Peters encouraged markets and politicians to “not lose their nerve” as the US retaliated against China by hiking tariffs, while placing a 90-day pause on retaliatory tariffs for other countries.

“There’s no need to react at this point in time. Let’s first find out what we’re dealing with, let the dust settle in,” Peters told RNZ.

“My advocacy from the day this matter came up with the Trump tariffs - our job is to be ultra careful, ultra forward thinking in the interest of, guess what, the New Zealand economy, that’s what matters, not our egos.

“So my advice to politicians is tone down, wait til you see and know what’s going on.”

Peters said the pair hadn’t discussed Luxon’s speech or his calls with world leaders ahead of time: “So I hope that he’ll get my message and he’ll call me next time”.

Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.