Politics

Jacinda Ardern and Xi Jinping shake hands in Beijing in April 2019: New Zealand is finally waking up to the reality of the potential geostrategic threat posed by China.
Opinion

New Zealand is done with speaking softly to China

Wellington's shift to a firmer stance on Chinese abuses unlikely to go further

21 December 2022
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern opens her speech in the native Maori language at the Forbes Women’s Summit 2022 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. (Photo by Lien Hoang)
Politics

What can Asia learn on gender from New Zealand? Ardern has ideas

Look beyond aggressive, 'knives-out' politics, PM says on Vietnam trip

26 November 2022
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's support has dropped off considerably since 2021.
Politics

Inflation and lockdowns hurt New Zealand's ruling party in polls

Once a COVID success story, PM Ardern's camp trails opposition ahead of 2023 election

23 August 2022
Japanese, Australian and U.S. destroyers participate in last December's Annualex joint exercise. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Pacific Fleet)
Indo-Pacific

Japan PM to flex muscles for Indo-Pacific security at NATO summit

Kishida plans 4-way meeting on sidelines with South Korea, Australia, New Zealand

25 June 2022
People walk outside a train station in Auckland. New Zealand launched a special visa program for entrepreneurs on a trial basis in 2017.
Economy

New Zealand social innovator visa offers blueprint for Japan

Program draws entrepreneurs as global competition for tech pioneers heats up

4 June 2022
Protestors gather outside the parliament building in Honiara, Solomon Islands on Nov. 24, 2021. Georgina Kekea via REUTERS
International relations

New Zealand extends military deployment to Solomon Islands

Troops part of Pacific-led assistance force amid fears of growing China presence

25 May 2022
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will visit the U.S. as her country looks to fully reopen its border after more than two years of COVID restrictions.
International relations

New Zealand's Ardern to visit U.S., promoting exports and tourism

PM plans Harvard commencement address, meetings with senators and U.N. chief

23 May 2022
New Zealand Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O'Connor. (Photo by Tetsuya Kitayama) 
Interview

N.Z. calls for potential CPTPP members to meet 'high standards'

Membership negotiations with U.K. will be held cautiously, says Minister O'Connor

22 April 2022
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed in Tokyo to start negotiations to share information and intelligence. 
International relations

Japan, New Zealand in talks to share information and intelligence

PM Ardern stresses importance of bilateral ties in move toward renewable energy

21 April 2022
A display case shows photos outside Chinese Embassy in Honiara, Solomon Islands, on April 2: China is here to stay in the Pacific.
Opinion

Solomon Islands pact cements China's Pacific power status

Recent controversy is just the first step in a long-running struggle

19 April 2022
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appears at Wellington International Airport on April 13, after the country's borders reopened to Australian tourists at 11:59 pm on April 12. 
International relations

New Zealand PM eyes economy reboot with Japan, Singapore visits

As approval ratings dip, Ardern seeks political boost with tourism, trade

18 April 2022
Solomon Islands citizens tour a landing craft from a New Zealand ship that dropped off personnel and supplies in 2013. The islands' government is drawing closer to China. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy)
International relations

No China base: Solomon Islands' denial does little to quell fears

Analyst says Sogavare risks boxing himself in despite vow not to choose sides

29 March 2022
Ministers and delegates of the Pacific Rim trade bloc attend a joint press conference in Tokyo in January 2019: current CPTPP members should proactively lobby the U.S. to join the trade agreement.
Opinion

U.S. must rethink its approach to a flexible and inclusive Indo-Pacific

Washington needs to properly anchor itself into regional frameworks

14 December 2021
Modern coalitions must be more diverse.
Opinion

Japan should be admitted to the Five Eyes network

Difficulty adding new members demands a new type of intelligence sharing coalition

14 November 2021
A containership at a port in a Shenzhen free trade zone: APEC's joint statement called trade a "pillar for the development and future prosperity of all our people."
International relations

At APEC, Xi vows to open China as Taiwan promotes CPTPP bid

Biden raises U.S. engagement while grouping seeks trade-led COVID recovery

13 November 2021
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern meets with visiting Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in May 2021.
Indo-Pacific

New Zealand signals shift in China stance by opening door to AUKUS

Diplomat indicates willingness to collaborate on technology outside of nuclear subs

3 November 2021
China says the U.S. and U.K. decision to export nuclear-powered submarine technology to Australia proves that they are using nuclear exports for geopolitical gains.
Indo-Pacific

China slams U.S.-led plan to give nuclear submarines to Australia

Beijing calls on Washington, London, Canberra to drop 'zero-sum game mentality'

16 September 2021
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern cited health risks to citizens in shutting down the travel bubble with Australia.
Transportation

New Zealand suspends travel bubble with Australia over delta wave

Eight-week pause in effect after three Aussie states impose lockdowns

24 July 2021
Jacinda Ardern and Scott Morrison, pictured during the Australia-New Zealand Leaders Meeting in Queenstown on May 31: Prime Ministers of both countries gave a joint statement focusing on their unity of vision with a wider array of friends.
Opinion

Five Eyes must protect unrivaled intelligence-sharing network

Claims that the grouping is an Anglo-Saxon clique are fundamentally wrong

21 June 2021
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison poses with New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern before talks in Queenstown, New Zealand, on May 31.
International relations

Australia and New Zealand tout Indo-Pacific ties, reject 'coercion'

At summit, neighbors raise China human rights while sidestepping differences

31 May 2021
New Zealand's minister for trade and export growth, Damien O'Connor, speaks to Nikkei Asia during an online interview on May 21. (Photo by Koji Uema)
The Future of Asia 2021

New Zealand will manage China ties in 'predictable' way: minister

Trade chief O'Connor holds out hope for India's return to RCEP deal

21 May 2021
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2019: Ardern is walking a fine line between criticizing Beijing on human rights and preserving economic ties.
International relations

New Zealand 'shadow boxes' over Xinjiang amid pressure to speak up

Analysts say parliament declaration without 'genocide' likely kept China happy

7 May 2021
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern smiles during a campaign in Auckland on Oct. 10, 2020.
5 May 2021
New Zealand's Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern said there are things on which China and New Zealand "do not, cannot, and will not agree," but added the differences need not define their ties. 
International relations

Ardern says differences with China harder to reconcile

New Zealand faces pressure from allies for tougher line on Beijing

3 May 2021
New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta speaks to reporters on April 22. She has caused a stir by confirming a reluctance to participate in Five Eyes joint statements on human rights.
International relations

Five Eyes glare at New Zealand over independent China stance

Ardern and Mahuta walk fine line amid pressure to speak out on human rights

26 April 2021