The Foreign Minister is clarifying her comments on the Five Eyes security group.

Nanaia Mahuta spoke about diversifying our trade relationships at a speech to the New Zealand-China Council yesterday.

Afterwards she told reporters she's not comfortable with us expanding the remit of Five Eyes to joint positions on foreign policy.

Mahuta told Mike Yardley New Zealand isn't hesitant about our relationship with the intelligence alliance.

"My point is that we want to have a discussion between Five Eyes participants and partners where it's useful to evoke the Five Eyes relationship, and where we might broaden our reach out to other states."

In her speech, she also issued a veiled criticism of the country's loans to Pacific Island nations, which are under increased vulnerability due to Covid-19.

Mahuta says anyone doing business knows you can't depend on one market, like China.

"I think those big exporters are already thinking about building resilience into their business and where their markets are."

LISTEN ABOVE

• Heather du Plessis-Allan: Foreign Minister's speech suggests a move away from China
• Nanaia Mahuta likens NZ-China relations to taniwha and dragon