Asia Insight

The Asia New Zealand Foundation's annual "'New Zealanders' Perceptions of Asia and Asian Peoples" survey is in its 27th year, detailing changing trends in the way New Zealanders regard Asian nations and the people who live there. The survey is out today, and for a quick run-through of some of the central themes in the report we're joined by Asia New Zealand Foundation Chief Executive Suz Jessep, and Dr Julia Macdonald, diector of the Foundation's Research and Engagement programme.  

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This week we talk to Dilhan C. Fernando, CEO of Dilmah Tea, the family-owned Sri Lankan company that forged its own path in the marketing of tea in New Zealand, and around the globe.    

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In this episode of Asia Unfiltered, our host, Kii Small, chats to the Asia New Zealand Foundation’s very own Alex Smith, about her experiences living in Shanghai and Taiwan. Digressions include what it’s like to study Mandarin Chinese as a young woman living in East Asia, and how a guilty pleasure for East Asian trash television can catapult you on a profound, life and career changing journey.

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Asia Unfiltered is an exploration of the stories and experiences of young kiwis abroad in Asia. Each episode will feature conversations between members of the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono’s Leadership Network, and one of our two fellow Leadership Network hosts: Kii Small and Arina Aizal. 

The Asia New Zealand Foundation is New Zealand’s leading authority on Asia, providing experiences and resources to help New Zealanders thrive in Asia. The Leadership Network is a global professional network equipping the next generation of New Zealand leaders with the know-how to strengthen the New Zealand-Asia relationship. 

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Aung Myo Min is Minister/Representative for Human Rights in Myanmar's National Unity Government, and continuing to fight for an end to the current military junta which has ruled the country since Feb 2021. Recent reports indicate the junta has lost control of areas it once held, and men eligible for conscription have been barred from leaving the country amid a reported collapse in army morale. In New Zealand for a brief visit, he discusses the current military and human rights situation, and the future of his
country.    

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Dr Michael Green is the 2024 Kippenberger Chair at the Centre for Strategic Studies at Victoria University in Wellington.  He's held a string of high-profile US foreign policy positions over many years, including in the George W Bush White House and at the Centre for Strategic Studies, and he's also currently head of the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. Mike joins us on the podcast today to talk about US strategy in the Western Pacific, China's rise, and the debate over New Zealand's possible admission to "Pillar II" of the  AUKUS group.

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This week we join University of Canterbury Professor Alex Tan to discuss a recent "Track II" delegation to Taiwan, to hold the 9th annual dialogue with the Asia New Zealand Foundation's dialogue partner, the Prospect Foundation, as well as catch up with leading think tanks, academics and journalists. Alex brings the delegates together one last time to look back on their key takeaways from the trip.   

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Today we're joined by Dr Reuben Abraham. Reuben’s the CEO of Artha Global, a policy and research organization based in Mumbai and London. He’s a noted expert on India’s economic development, and is currently a Senior Fellow at New York University’s Marron Institute, an Asia Fellow at the Milken Institute in Singapore, and an Honorary Advisor to the Asia New Zealand Foundation.  He was also awarded “Think-Tanker of Year” by Prospect magazine in London in 2021 for his work on the covid crisis in India 

Reuben sat down for a chat India’s economic future, its digital transformation, the Modi Presidency, and its developing relationship with New Zealand. 

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The AIIB is a multilateral development bank based in Beijing. It now has 109 members, including New Zealand. Its mission: to finance " infrastructure with sustainability at its core." Bank President Jin Liqun has been on a quick visit to NZ, and discusses the bank's goals and aspirations, as it continues to develop links to the Pacific. 

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This week’s guest is Thomas Parks, the Asia Foundation’s country representative in Thailand, where he manages programme addressing inequality, education, digital tech, and international relations. He also oversees the Foundation’s regional cooperation programs in Southeast Asia, with a strong focus on ASEAN. He’s been based in Thailand since 2008, and has spent time  in the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Cambodia.

His latest book is entitled “Southeast Asia’s Multi Polar Future – Preventing a new Cold War.” 

We spoke to Tom about the book on a recent visit to Wellington, and began by asking him to put the region's current developing multi-polar picture into an historical context.. 

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In late 2022 Japan released its new security and defence policy. It swept away much of the self-restraint that had characterised Tokyo's attitude to security since 1945, and saw the Kishida Administration bringing defence and security issues to the fore. Today on the podcast we speak with Japanese foreign policy experts Professor Akiko Fukushima and Professor Ken Jimbo, on Japan's new national security strategy, the progress made on the "Free & Open Indo-Pacific" initiative (the FOIP) , and Japan's role in shaping the regional order.  

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Whakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !