Source: New Zealand Government
New Zealand’s relationships in Southeast Asia have never been more important for our security and prosperity, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.
“As we deal with the current challenging, uncertain and disordered security environment, New Zealand is working ever more intensively with Southeast Asia,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Malaysia for the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meeting.
“In 2025, we celebrate 50 years of dialogue relations between New Zealand and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN),” Mr Peters says.
“We are working towards agreeing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN, and this week’s meetings in Malaysia have been an important step towards achieving that goal by October 2025.
“This week’s engagements have enabled New Zealand to commemorate a half-century of dialogue with ASEAN and reinforce our position as a reliable and valuable partner,” Mr Peters says.
Yesterday’s meeting was Mr Peters’ tenth engagement with the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers since his attendance at the inaugural Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur in December 2005.
“New Zealand is honoured to be among the original countries to establish the East Asia Summit as the region’s premier ASEAN-led strategic forum. Dialogue and cooperation between partners are more important than ever. New Zealand remains committed to our enduring partnership with ASEAN to shape the kind of region we all want.
“We reiterated our concern about the situation in Myanmar and tensions in the South China Sea, discussed security issues in the Middle East, and the increasingly serious challenges to the stability of the Indo-Pacific.”
Mr Peters also held bilateral talks with ministerial counterparts from Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, the United States and Viet Nam.
The Minister also met with alumni of the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Programme.
“As New Zealand strengthens its ties with Southeast Asia, it is important we build on our existing people-centred connections. Our Manaaki Scholarship Programme is a key part of this,” Mr Peters says.
This week’s visit by Mr Peters to Malaysia was the 36th by New Zealand Ministers to Southeast Asia since February 2024.
“New Zealand continues to significantly lift effort and engagement in Southeast Asia in order to enhance New Zealand’s security and prosperity.
“We are grateful to ASEAN Chair Malaysia for its hosting of this week’s meetings. We look forward to continuing to build our bilateral relationship.”
Mr Peters arrives back in New Zealand later today (12 July).
