The Government is refusing to comment on the American Secretary of State describing New Zealand as an emerging partner.
During a visit in November last year to sign the Wellington Declaration, Hillary Clinton called New Zealand a strong and important partner of the United States.
Mrs Clinton has made her most recent remarks in an opinion piece in Foreign Policy magazine setting out America's Asia-Pacific strategy.
She described New Zealand alongside China, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Mongolia, Vietnam, Brunei and the Pacific Islands as emerging partners.
Mrs Clinton says the US is asking these countries to join it in shaping and participating in a rules-based regional and global order.
New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully on Thursday would not comment on the change in language from Mrs Clinton.
Radio New Zealand also approached the US embassy in Wellington to ask whether her most recent comments reflect any change in the American view of the relationship.
The embassy expects a response from Washington on Friday.
The Labour Party is not worried by the description. Foreign affairs spokesperson Maryan Street says she suspects the reference to New Zealand as an emerging partner was made in the context of the wider region.
But the Greens' foreign affairs spokesperson, Keith Locke, says perhaps it's a "little bit of a put-down" and suggests New Zealand should be less ready to rush in to do what America wants.
Withdrawing the SAS from Afghanistan would be a good first step, he says.
