Suz Jessep's September 2024 CE Update

The change in temperature has been made all the more extreme by the fact that I have just returned from Beijing where the outside temperature was a much more pleasant 25 degrees.  

Not that I spent much time outside. I was in China as a guest of the China Institute of International Strategic Studies (CIISS) to attend the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum. It is a defence and security conference aimed at promoting China’s view of regional order and encouraging countries to sign up to some of China’s more ambitious global initiatives.  

Suzannah: " The association between China and broader Asia means that China has an outsized influence on New Zealanders’ impressions of Asia."

It was a first for me, and so I was interested not only in the conversation on stage but also to meet all the delegates (many from Africa) and hear their perspectives on China’s approach to global governance.  

I came away with a sense of China’s diplomatic might in the Global South and just how much leverage it has as a result of its trading prowess and development spend. We might not like everything that China does, but it’s certainly not going anywhere, and so our task here in New Zealand is to try to manage the relationship as best we can and keep people-to-people ties positive.   

Asia New Zealand Foundation research shows that for the majority of New Zealanders China is the country they think of first when they think of Asia. This association between China and broader Asia means that China has an outsized influence on New Zealanders’ impressions of the region. If China is behaving in a way we find friendly, then threat perceptions for all of Asia eases. If it is engaged in behaviour we find threatening, then we tend to view the wider Asia region with greater caution.      

Marking 30 years of the Asia New Zealand Foundation     

The Foundation will be marking its 30th anniversary with a summit at Parliament on 15 October

Our perceptions of Asia are always evolving, informed by what we read and see, and how we’re relating to Asia in our everyday lives. To help better understand the changes taking place across Asia and to reflect on 30 years of the Foundation’s work in this space we will be holding an Asia Summit at Parliament on 15 October. We opened spaces for public registration and it almost immediately sold out – showing the level of demand for informed voices on Asia.    

Reaching the thirty-year milestone and reflecting on the Foundation's accomplishments fills me with both pride and determination to continue advancing the organisation and helping New Zealanders thrive in Asia. As you’ve read before, all the key metrics point to Asia playing an increasingly influential and consequential role in New Zealand’s future.  

I won’t go into too much detail here as I’ll talk more about the summit and the Foundation’s 30th anniversary in future CE updates. For those of you who have registered, I look forward to catching up with you on the day.  

New Asia Honorary Advisers announced and Board changes

The 2024 Foundation Board — from left to right, outgoing Board members Te Poa Karoro (Paul) Morgan, Ziena Jalil and Pulotu Tupe Solomon-Tanoa'i

This month, the Foundation welcomed two new Asia Honorary Advisers – Tan Sri Datuk Dr Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria from Malaysia and Professor Jolan Hsieh from Taiwan. We are also pleased to welcome three new Trustees, appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to our governing board: Hone McGregor, Professor David Capie, and John Boswell.   

The Foundation’s Asia Honorary Advisers are prominent leaders in Asia who hold key positions in academia, business, diplomacy, community and other sectors. They advocate on our behalf across the region - providing the Foundation with insights and advice so the decisions we make are well informed.  

Without them and the support of the Board, the work we do would be that much harder to achieve, so I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Dr Rebecca, Professor Jolan, Professor Capie, Hone and John.

We are also sad to farewell three outgoing trustees: Pulotu Tupe Solomon-Tanoa'i, Te Poa Karoro (Paul) Morgan and Ziena Jalil. They have made a great contributions to the Foundation’s work and have been strong advocates for New Zealand’s Asia relations.  

Media internships open 

This month we opened applications for our media internships in Asia, including four internships we’re offering for the first time at media organisations in Taiwan and South Korea. Our media internship programme is a great way for the next generation of New Zealand journalists to gain firsthand experience of living in Asia and covering stories in and about the region.  

Coverage of Asia in New Zealand media falls far short of the attention given to Europe and North America, and well below coverage of Asia elsewhere. Our media internships aim to address this gap by encouraging young, emerging journalists to learn about the Asia region and build their confidence by living and working in the region for a three-month work placement.   

From reading past interns' reports, it's clear that their experiences in Asia are truly life-changing and impactful for their careers. I’m eager to hear the stories, adventures and insights this year’s cohort will return home with. 

ASEAN New Zealand  Business Forum 2024 

Last month, our Young Business Leaders Initiative (YBLI) alumni, Bicky Nguyen, shared her inspiring journey as an entrepreneur at the ASEAN New Zealand Business Forum in Auckland.  

Young Business Leaders Initiative alum Bicky Nguyen presenting to the ASEAN New Zealand Business Forum

Bicky, who flew in from Viet Nam to be the keynote speaker, has been a driving force in innovation, sustainability and entrepreneurship in the sustainable foods sector. Her company, Cricket One, has achieved remarkable success and recognition for using crickets – the insect – to create high-protein snacks and ingredients.  

Bicky’s connection to the Foundation is a great example of how relationships we build bear fruit long after the initial contact. In 2018, the Foundation brought Bicky to New Zealand to take part in a programme for Southeast Asian agribusiness entrepreneurs, visiting Fieldays in Hamilton and connecting with agriculture leaders around the motu. Six years later, she is winning international awards and returning as a guest speaker. It shows how transformational these early in-person experiences can be. 

Track II engagement keeping dialogue flowing

Dr James To, the Foundation’s manager of our South Island office and Track II Programme, represented the Foundation at an inaugural Southeast Asia Think Tanks Summit in Jakarta 11-12 September. The event brought over 60 stakeholders from across the Asia-Pacific to share perspectives on climate, technology, geopolitical tensions, and other regional issues.  Among the august attendees was Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak, our Honorary Adviser and one of Thailand’s leading international relations experts. 

Asia New Zealand Foundation Honorary Adviser Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak addressing the summit

In August, we hosted our 15th track II (experts) dialogue with the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV) at our office in Wellington. The New Zealand side was headed by our Chair, Dame Fran Wilde, and the Viet Nam side was headed by the DAV's President.  

These exchanges give us insights into how Vietnam is evolving its foreign and trade relations, how it sees our region and bilateral relationship, and how it is navigating major power rivalry and other pressure points. 

The Foundation's annual track II with the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam was held in Wellington in August

The Foundation has had a long-standing relationship with the DAV – 15 years – and as always this latest track II dialogue was insightful and illuminating. We look forward to continuing this partnership for many more years to come. 

So, what’s on the horizon? Look out for a journalist delegation and sports team to Thailand, a journalist internship and track II dialogue in Malaysia, an arts delegation to Korea, a business trip to India, sports and travel grants for schools heading to Japan, and lots of other activities in or on China, the Philippines and elsewhere.   

Till then – thank you for staying engaged and keep warm! 

Hei konā mai

Suz