Asia Insight

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 @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

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 performing currently in the tech space, and where the new challenges are coming from?  Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

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 sustainability.  Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

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, clothing and homewares for international customers.   Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

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 collaboration. Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

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 other more than ever. We're joined in the studio this week by Dr Bec Strating from La Trobe University in Melbourne, and Dr Jason Young, Director of the Contemporary China Research Centre at Victoria University in Wellington. Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

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 Zealand.   Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

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 ongoing role in Asia, and the important work being done by the Asia New Zealand Foundation. The first series is dubbed “The Big Picture" and looks at interesting regional issues such as the rise of AUKUS, the relationships between New Zealand, Australia and China, and the QUAD grouping. I’m Graeme Acton, and we’ll be back soon with “Asia Insight” .  Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

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.Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

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.   Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

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. Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

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. Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

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.. Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

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.  Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

Cris D. Tran is a  Vietnam-based digital strategist working with the Frontier Leader Institute,  and a whole lot more besides. He's at the cutting edge of tech development across Asia, be it blockchain, AI , Web 2.0, or the vast array of tech advancements now  impacting on business and consumers. Cris is  in New Zealand to attend the Canterbury Tech Summit in Christchurch, and speaking on the topic of  “Asymmetric Competition in Digital Age.” The Asia New Zealand Foundation's senior adviser (Business) Ethan Jones sat down with Cris for a chat about just where Asia is headed in the tech space, and how New Zealand might be best placed to take advantage of the opportunities on offer. Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

Ramesh Thakur is Emeritus Professor in the Crawford School of Public Policy at the ANU in Canberra. In NZ recently, he discusses Indian geo-politics in 2023, the Nuclear Suppliers Group, and Delhi's mercurial External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

Singapore-based Andrew Tan has spent 28 years in the public sector where he's held key positions across various Singapore government agencies, from the Ministry of Information and the Arts, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in the Prime Minister’s Office as the Private Secretary to Lee Kuan Yew. He is also a former CEO at Singapore’s National Environment Agency, and Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. He's spent time as Director of Singapore's Centre for Liveable Cities, and has most recently been working as a managing director at global investment company Temasek.He also finds time to be involved with the Singapore Management University, and the Singapore Business Federation.Andrew was in New Zealand recently to address the China Business Summit held in Auckland, and following his address he spoke to Suz Jessep and James To from the Asia New Zealand Foundation about Singapore's development model, and the challenges ahead across the region.  Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

Myanmar's civil strife continues with opposition forces refusing to buckle amid a struggle that shows no immediate sign of ending. Meanwhile the junta insists nationwide elections can and will be held eventually. Dr Tun Aung Shwe is the NUG's representative in Canberra, and joins us to discuss the way forward in bringing democracy back to Myanmar. Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

Journalist Sam Sachdeva discusses his new book "The China Tightrope", a detailed look at the China-New Zealand relationship:  the good, the difficult, and the way ahead. How did we get here? And how can NZ best negotiate the minefield of trade pragmatism and principled foreign policy?   Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !

After a Asia New Zealand Foundation trip to Indonesia in 2017, Northland teacher Brent Strathdee-Pehi had his eyes and ears opened to possibilities in and outside the classroom. He's now teaching at an International School in Timor Leste, and discovering more about the ties between Aotearoa and Asia, in language, music , and much more.   Tweet us at @AsiaMediaCentreWebsite asiamediacentre.org.nz Email us at media@asianz.org.nzWhakawhetai mo te whakarongo .. thanks for listening !