Asia Insight

Professor James Laurenceson is Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute at University of Technology in Sydney. Professor Laurenceson spoke to Graeme Acton about China's economy, its current economic woes, and why China's economic sanctions on Australia barely left a mark.    Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentre Website asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nz Whakawhetai...

Asia New Zealand Foundation arts director Craig Cooper chats with Lucy Marinkovich, New Zealand based contemporary dancer, choreographer and the artistic director of the Borderline Arts Ensemble. Lucy shares her experiences in Asia, her plans for the future, and her new dance work 'Nothing Is" , one of the Asia New Zealand Foundation's 2021 "IN TOUCH" digital arts commissi...

India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has been in New Zealand for discussions with government officials and public events in Auckland and Wellington. It's the first visit by an Indian EAM for twenty years and he was keen to discuss India's future, its upcoming presidency at the G20, and how New Zealand and India can improve their relationship.    Tweet us at @Asi...

Documentary photographer John Williams has been exploring issues of faith and worship for a number of years. This has included several trips to India to photograph in- depth projects that explore aspects of pilgrimage and religious worship. Craig Cooper speaks to John  about his photography, his travels across India, and his latest project – a digital reworking of his profound and moving “Pilgrima...

Craig Cooper speaks to Allan Xia, a Chinese/ New Zealand multi-disciplinary storyteller whose works span a broad spectrum of mediums such as illustration, comics, photography, videography, videogames and virtual reality. He's the founder of Kognika Ltd - a boutique creative agency, and also founder and director of Chromacon New Zealand Indie Arts Festival - a biennial event that connects crea...

Chye-Ling Huang is a Chinese-Pākehā writer, director, actress, and co-founder and director of the Proudly Asian Theatre Company in Auckland. She’s worked in television, on stage, in advertising and on podcasts and web series.  She's had a long association with the Asia New Zealand Foundation, and was one of ten artists selected in 2020 to work on a digital art project looking at their persona...

The new Australian government has signaled a few changes in policy towards its immediate neighbours in Asia and the Pacific. This week we're joined by International Relations experts Professor Alex Tan and Associate Professor Nicholas Khoo, to look at the new foreign policy dynamic in Canberra, and how New Zealand would benefit from renewing its outreach in a similar fashion.  Tweet us at @As...

The Asia New Zealand Foundation's annual "Perceptions of Asia" survey asks New Zealanders for their views on Asia and its peoples, and supports an informed public conversation regarding New Zealand's engagement with the region. Now in its 25th year, the survey is a unique insight on the growing connections between New Zealand and Asia. In this Asia Insight we speak to Suz Jesse...

It is the international defence summit meeting that takes its name from the Singapore hotel venue. The Shangri-La Dialogue is a gathering of politicians, analysts, diplomats and business leaders from around the world who come together to debate issues, with politicians also heavily involved in bilateral meetings.  Graeme Acton chatted with attendees Professor David Capie from Victoria University i...

In this episode, the Asia New Zealand Foundation's Alexis Allen speaks with Indonesian entrepreneur Adi Reza of Mycotech, and New Zealand entrepreneur Veronica Harwood-Stevenson of Humble Bee Bio, who are both creating innovative solutions in sustainability. Leather from mushrooms, and bioplastics from bees, it's all part of a sustainable future being built right now. Tweet us at @AsiaMe...

The Asia New Zealand Foundation's Graeme Acton speaks to Professor Bates Gill  - China expert and author currently with Macquarie University in Sydney - about China's involvement in the Pacific.  What's behind the latest moves? What should New Zealand do? And how will the Pacific change under the proposed closer economic and political relationship with China?  Professor Gill's...

The Asia New Zealand Foundation's Adam McConnochie talks Asia and tech with two experts in the field: Bradley Scott and Cris Tran. Both are serial entrepreneurs with huge experience across a range of tech businesses in the region. For this chat, Brad joined Adam from Auckland, and Cris is in Vietnam. The discussion ranges across how to succeed in Asia in the tech world, how NZ companies are p...

In this episode , Adam McConnochie speaks with Thai coffee entrepreneur Fuadi Pitsuwan, co-founder of specialty coffee company Beanspire - and Tesh Randall, founder of Raglan Food Co, currently supplying coconut yogurt into over 750 outlets across Asia. It's a breakfast match made in heaven ! Both are hugely successful business-owners, with high quality products, and a strong commitment to su...

The Asia New Zealand Foundation's Adam McConnochie continues his conversation with Kiri Nathan and Reese Fernandez-Ruiz, fashion entrepreneurs and collaborators - one in Auckland, one in Manila. Today's discussion picks up on Kiri's experiences in Asian textile and fashion markets, where Reese continues with her "Rags-To-Riches" enterprise, producing hand-made bags, clothi...

From Aotearoa New Zealand to the Philippines, two talented and inspiring wāhine are weaving indigenous connections through fashion. In the first part of a two-part discussion we talk to Reese Fernandez-Ruiz, of fashion and design house Rags2Riches (R2R), which works with community artisans in the Philippines, and Māori fashion designer, weaver and artist Kiri Nathan, about their remarkable collabo...

It's called "The QUAD" , the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue involving the USA , Australia, India and Japan. The diplomatic arrangement is widely seen as a counter to China in the Indo-Pacific, and brings together nations sharing much in common, but also with significant differences in their strategic outlook. In this episode we discuss the QUAD with Professor Robert Patman, Interna...

In this edition of "Asia Insight" we take a look at the complex and important relationships between NZ, Australia and China. Tensions have escalated in the last 18 months between China and Australia, while NZ has remained a cautious observer, willing to speak its mind, but wary of any potential souring in the trade relationship. In a post-covid recovery, the three nations will need each...

APEC and ASEAN are acronyms known to many New Zealanders - but maybe not as well understood as they could be. What exactly does APEC do? What do countries get from it? And how does ASEAN shape the geopolitics of the region? In the wake of 2021's APEC Summit in NZ we talk to Alison Mann, former senior official to APEC and ASEAN, and Mitchell Pham, Vietnamese-Kiwi tech entrepreneur about the ro...

The AUKUS agreement between the US, UK, and Australia took many by surprise when it was announced late last year. In this episode of Asia Insight, we're joined by international relations experts Professor Rob Ayson from Victoria University of Wellington and Professor Joanne Wallis from the University of Adelaide to look at the formation of AUKUS, and what it means for Australia, Asia, and New...

Tēnā koutou katoa, hello and welcome.  I’m excited to let you know the first series of podcast from the Asia Media Centre will be in a podcast feed near you in the very near future . The Asia Media Centre is part of the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono .  The "Asia Insight” podcast series will highlight important issues across the region, along with discussions over New Zealand’s...