ASEAN and New Zealand - A 45-Year Partnership in Changing Asia-Pacific Strategic Environment
Abstract
The year 2020 marks the 45th anniversary of the partnership between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and New Zealand. The Asia-Pacific‟s political climate has changed dramatically over the last 45 years. Changes which include the increasing power rivalry between China and the US, regional maritime and territorial disputes, ever-increasing military spending in the region, and the proliferation of non-traditional security issues. Against this backdrop, two important questions arise: how the relations between ASEAN and New Zealand have been and how it could be in the future. The article seeks to review the 45-year ties between the two sides. It also explores the impacts of these regional factors to these relations and concludes how the relations could be in the future. The article argues that despite limited interaction and co-operation in the beginning, the relationship between ASEAN and New Zealand has increased significantly since 1975. Disturbing shifts in the region‟s political and economic climate present both challenges and convergent interests that pave the way for the relations. The article will also present some suggestions of the two sides‟ cooperation priorities.