Suzannah Jessep's October 2025 CE Update
Windy Wellington has been particularly true to its name of late, as spring winds blast across the city, blow out the cobwebs and ruin all hairstyles. But it’s also lovely to get that hint of summer in the air and the promise of a river swim or trip to the beach.
Suzannah Jessep
Across Asia, we’ve seen all sorts of weather play out, of the more destructive kind, particularly typhoons and flooding. It’s a reminder that despite all our busy human activity, and headlines about presidents and conflicts, the natural environment serves as a permanent backdrop to our work and shapes experiences. For our young interns out in Asia, it’s hot, humid evenings. For our recent music delegation in Indonesia, it was monsoon rains and flooding. And for those heading north, into Japan and Korea, soon it’ll be chilly nights and snow-capped mountains.
As the saying goes – storms make trees take deeper roots. Or in other words, difficult times can make us stronger and more resilient.
Right – let’s move on to what’s happening in and across the Foundation!
The next generation of leaders connecting New Zealand and Asia
Suz: "While they gathered as strangers, I’m sure the first seeds of lifelong friendships will have been sown during the day."
This month we welcomed the latest cohort of Leadership Network members at an event in Auckland. With so many incredible applications this year, it was no easy task to select just 41, but we’re thrilled to welcome such a diverse and talented group of young leaders from across a range of backgrounds and sectors.
The Foundation’s Leadership Network is a platform for graduate and early-to-mid career New Zealanders to develop their leadership skills, deepen their understanding of Asia, and build meaningful connections across the region. Graduates of the network – who have often been with us 20-odd years – become like mentors, giving the Network a long lifecycle and huge impact.
The 2025 intake of Leadership Network members
The induction was an opportunity for the new members to come together, learn about the Foundation, our mahi and kaupapa and get to know each other. While they gathered as strangers, I’m sure the first seeds of lifelong friendships will have been sown during the day.
Track II dialogue looks at the big issues facing Southeast Asia
Earlier this month, the Foundation hosted the ASEAN–New Zealand 50th Anniversary Dialogue at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, bringing together more than 30 leading thinkers, diplomats and academics from across Southeast Asia.
The Foundation delegation to Jakarta: Professor David Capie, Professor Natasha Hamilton-Hart, Dr Farib Sos and Dr James To
Our delegation, led by Professor David Capie alongside Professor Natasha Hamilton-Hart, Dr Farib Sos and Dr James To, held discussions on ASEAN’s three community pillars: political and security cooperation, economic integration, and socio-cultural development.
As well as celebrating 50 years of dialogue between New Zealand and ASEAN, experts looked ahead at the challenges and opportunities shaping our region, and how we can strengthen cooperation (particularly as fellow small and middle-sized countries) into the future.
The Dialogue was delivered in partnership with the New Zealand Mission to ASEAN, the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the ASEAN Secretariat and the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.
The Foundation held a Track II dialogue this week with Taiwan's Prospect Foundation
And back home, we hosted Taiwan’s Prospect Foundation in Wellington this week for our tenth Track II dialogue. As always, it was a valuable opportunity to hear their perspectives on recent global shifts and to explore areas of common interest across the region.
Research reports examine New Zealand’s relationships with Southeast Asia
Staying with the theme of ASEAN and New Zealand’s ties with the region, our Research and Engagement team has, since my last CE Update, published two in-depth reports – and there’s one more to come – marking 50 years of formal relations between New Zealand and ASEAN.
The first report, New Zealand and ASEAN Through 50 Years, by historian Dr Malcolm McKinnon, traces the diplomatic history of the relationship and its evolution since the end of the Cold War.
The second, Southeast Asia’s Security in the Era of Strategic Competition, by University of Otago Associate Professor Nicolas Khoo, examines the region’s shifting geopolitics and how ASEAN can exercise its agency in navigating these changes.
Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew with Prime Minister New Zealand Bill Rowling on the steps of Parliament in Wellington in 1975
Both are fascinating, in-depth studies, and I’m sure they’ll be valuable resources for years to come for anyone interested in the region and New Zealand’s relationship with it.
Keep an eye out on the Foundation’s website for the third report in the series: Relations and Relationships: 50 Years of People Movements from ASEAN Countries to New Zealand, which will be published on the Foundation’s website later this month.
New Zealanders under 30 self report greater knowledge of Asia's subregions than older New Zealanders, especially North Asia
Another piece of work published this month by our Research and Engagement team draws on our Perceptions of Asia research to explore how New Zealanders under 30 view the region and their place within it. Interestingly, New Zealanders under 30 are more confident in their knowledge of Asia than those aged 30 and over — the only world region where younger New Zealanders report greater knowledge than their older counterparts.
And finally – if you’ve ever wondered how Asia sees us here in New Zealand (beyond the usual ‘clean, green, sheep and the Lord of the Rings’ – you might be interested to read a new Southeast Asian Perceptions of New Zealand report, which will be launched on 13 November at Victoria University of Wellington. This draws on insights from 200 experts across Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, offering valuable insights into how our policies and actions translate and shape perceptions out in the region. If you'd like to join us in Wellington for the report launch and hear experts discuss its findings, you can register for the event here.
Asia After Five events - don't miss out
I’d like to close this CE Update by thanking everyone who joined us for our recent Asia After Five event in Wellington, where we heard from four young New Zealanders about their experiences living in Taiwan. It was wonderful to see so many people turn up, including lots of newcomers – warm welcome!
The Taiwan Asia After Five held in Wellington alongside the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New Zealand
Our next free Asia After Five will be held in Auckland on 4 November, featuring Nat Hutton from Christchurch band There’s a Tuesday. Nat will reflect on the band’s time in South Korea as part of our inaugural Seoul Music Residency – an experience that gave the band a chance to perform, record, collaborate and explore Korea’s vibrant music scene. Our Auckland team looks forward to seeing you there!
Richard Nottage at the Foundation's 30th anniversary event at parliament last year
Finally, I'd like to acknowledge the recent passing of Richard Nottage, who played a foundational role in establishing the Asia New Zealand Foundation back in 1994. As part of our 30th anniversary, we had the honour of speaking with Richard about those early days. It was inspiring to hear his reflections — some of which we’ve captured in our 30th anniversary video. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.
Nga mihi,
Suz Jessep
