Suz Jessep’s June 2025 CE Update

Photos from the 38th Asia Pacific Roundtable in Kuala Lumpur

The conference brings together leading Asia policy institutes and think tanks to discuss security, stability, sustainability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. New Zealand marks 50 years of official New Zealand-ASEAN relations in 2025 so being here to attend this year and speak at the opening session on ‘war and peace in the Asia-Pacific’ has particular significance. 

The Foundation’s small but mighty delegation includes Leadership Network members Xavier Breed and Fine Koloamatangi who will be attending the conference and taking part in a NextGen masterclass workshop run by our South Island manager, Dr James To, for emerging Track II participants from across New Zealand and Asia. Fine will also be speaking at a session on the evolving geopolitics of minilateralism.  

Our delegation will be sharing what they learned and their observations from the visit on our website and social channels over the coming days – so keep an eye out for those updates.   

Perceptions of Asia 2025 reveals encouraging trends 

Perceptions of Asia 2025 was launched on Tuesday

This week, I was incredibly proud to see our team launch the latest Perceptions of Asia  report—now in its 28th year! This annual survey captures New Zealanders’ attitudes toward the countries of Asia, offering valuable insights into how we view our place in the region and how major developments and trends across Asia are shaping our perspectives.   

Where Asia once felt distant and unfamiliar, it is now increasingly seen as a close neighbour and a key partner for New Zealand’s economic, cultural, and security future.  

There has been a lot of media interest this year – in part because of New Zealanders’ shifting attitudes towards the United States and China. While both are seen as important to our future, threat perceptions are on the rise – meaning New Zealanders are viewing these countries with some caution and suspicion.

Conversely, we’re seeing New Zealanders’ attitudes towards other smaller and middle-sized countries continue to warm – notably Japan, Korea, and Singapore – who are all rated as increasingly important friends, defence partners and regional collaborators.    

The percentage of people who say they know at least a fair amount about Asia's subregions

Public understanding of Asia has grown significantly. Nearly 60 percent of New Zealanders now feel knowledgeable about Asia, up from 33 percent just over a decade ago. Hats off to all my colleagues at the Asia New Zealand Foundation, as well as our Founders Don McKinnon and Philip Burdon, who have helped to drive this significant progress. By growing knowledge and confidence in and on Asia, New Zealanders are much better placed to take advantage of opportunities but also manage challenges.    

Over the coming months, we’ll be releasing articles and mini-studies that explore specific data sets from the research, so stay tuned to our social media channels for updates. You can also join us in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch for Asia After Five events where we will be presenting on some of the survey’s key findings. 

• You can read the full report here 

• Find out about Perceptions of Asia events in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland 

Cautious diplomacy underscores Singapore defence summit 

Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth and Secretary of National Defence of Philippines Gilberto Teodoro Jr at the Shangri-La Dialogue

In early June I was in Singapore as a guest of the International Institute for Strategic Studies to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue – Asia’s leading defence summit. As always, it was a fascinating two and a half days of intense discussion and debate, bringing together ministers, heads of state, and senior defence officials from across the Indo-Pacific.  

Usually the host of fiery debates and very frank remarks, this year there was a noticeable reticence amongst Ministers and delegates alike. If you’re interested in understanding why, and to learn more about what’s discussed at Shangri-La, you might like to read my article in Newsroom: 

• Read Suzannah Jessep’s newsroom article reflecting on her key takeaways from the Shangri-La Dialogue 

Visiting Southeast Asian agribusiness entrepreneurs tour New Zealand 

The visiting delegation of agribusiness entrepreneurs

One of the highlights of my job is seeing phenomenal young talent from across New Zealand and Asia come together and talk about how they plan to change our future, through their innovations, businesses and collaborations. And it’s not all talk. These under-40s are genuinely shaping solutions and some have gone on to become unicorns (billion-dollar value companies).   

The Foundation has 270 of these amazing young leaders as part of our ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative (YBLI). Through taking New Zealand’s top young innovators to Asia and by bringing the region’s top talent to NZ, we help to forge partnerships and grow collaborations.   

This month, our head of Business, Nick Siu, hosted 11 agribusiness entrepreneurs from Southeast Asia. The group was here to learn about New Zealand’s agribusiness industry, connect with industry leaders, attend Fieldays, and exchange ideas and innovations with their local counterparts.

The entrepreneurs visiting a market garden in Auckland

I’d like to thank MFAT for supporting the programme and NZTE for setting up a really innovative tour at Fieldays specifically for our 11 guests. I’d also like to thank the entrepreneurs themselves for speaking at an Asia After Five event at our Auckland office, sharing stories about their companies, some of the challenges they’ve overcome, and what excites them about the future.

If you’re interested in attending Asia After Five events – they’re free, and always fun. Register to receive our newsletter (see the link at the bottom of the page) to stay informed about upcoming events. 

What's coming up...

At the risk of overload – I would like to share a snapshot of what’s coming up, in case there’s anything that is particularly useful for you: 

Next week, we’re launching the first batch of this year’s Asia Business Internships. Each year, the Foundation supports New Zealand students and recent graduates to gain professional experience with companies and organisations across Asia, while also giving them a greater understanding of everyday life in and across Asia and some of the cultural similarities and differences. These are truly lifechanging opportunities, so if you know someone who might be interested, please let them know and get them to apply in our next round.  

We’re also still calling for applications for the next intake of Leadership Network members. The Leadership Network equips the next generation of Kiwi leaders develop their Asia capabilities. The network now numbers over 500 and is a powerful cohort of inspirational and skilled under-40s who are all change-makers in their various fields. Applications close at the end of the month.  

The head of our arts programme, Craig Cooper, is leading a delegation of New Zealand arts curators and decision makers to Indonesia to attend one of Southeast Asia’s leading contemporary arts festivals, ARTJOG 2025. While there, they will also be meeting with arts sector representatives to expand their networks, grow their trade, and look to identify possible ways to collaborate on exhibitions that expose the New Zealand public to Asian art.  

On my return to New Zealand, I will be speaking at the Primary Industries New Zealand Summit and Awards about trade opportunities across Asia and will be chairing a panel discussion at Otago Foreign Policy School on 50 years of the NZ-ASEAN relationship with some of New Zealand’s leading Asia experts.  

I’m also really pleased to speak at the Language Learning for New Zealand’s Future event in Auckland and support the China Business Summit the next day. With our Prime Minister in China as I write this, and with our Perceptions of Asia survey just out, I’m reminded of the importance but growing complexity of this big relationship.  

I hope you’re all doing well and keeping warm as winter really settles in. If there’s anything you’re keen to hear more about, please do write to me and I’ll weave it into my next update. 

Kia pai tō rā, 

Suzannah Jessep