2018
When friends disagree: New Zealand and Australia
31 July 2018
Robert Ayson has written a commentary for the Interpreter about the state of trans-Tasman relations.
As Prof Ayson writes, "while New Zealand’s Prime Minister has been on maternity leave, a new chapter in these trans-Tasman rumbles has been written".
Centre for Strategic Studies hosts Strategic Defence Policy Statement launch
12 July 2018
The Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS) hosted the launch of the New Zealand Government’s 2018 Strategic Defence Policy Statement.
NZ has signalled a new, tougher stance on China. How will Beijing respond?
9 July 2018
David Capie, Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies, has written about launch of the NZ government’s Strategic Defence Policy Statement by Minster of Defence Ron Mark at Victoria University on Friday 6 July.
According to Dr Capie this is the most important foreign policy statement we have seen yet from the new government, including an unmistakable shift in NZ’s position on China.
Read the full story on The Spinoff.
‘Indo-Pacific’ pushes ahead at Shangri-La
9 June 2018
The annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore is a chance for Asia-Pacific countries to discuss the region's major security challenges.
David Capie, Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies, attended the summit and says the rise of the "Indo-Pacific", tension between Washington and Beijing, and hints about changes to New Zealand's defence policy were among his takeaways.
Read the full story on Newsroom.
Water, water everywhere: NZ's maritime security threats
2 May 2018
A day long symposium on maritime security - part of the 25th Anniversary celebrations of the Centre - was recently held in Wellington.
As an island nation, water looms large for New Zealand on the security front. Climate change, drug trafficking and countries competing for influence were among the concerns raised at a conference to discuss threats in our maritime environment.
Read the full story by Sam Sachdeva on Newsroom.
Some photos from the symposium can be found on the Political Science and International Relations Programme Facebook page.
NZ must be wary of this foreign policy challenge
1 May 2018
The more the unrelenting US-China competition foreshadowed in contemporary US planning becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, the more New Zealand and its partners need to encourage a regional environment less dominated by the ambitions of the big two, writes Robert Ayson.
Read the full story on Newsroom.
Two gorillas in the room: China and Trump
2 April 2018
American strategic studies and international relations experts at a conference on New Zealand United States relations were taken aback by how optimistic their Kiwi counterparts are about China.
“I think there was perhaps a bit of a surprise about the degree of divergence,” said Dr Amy Searight, Senior Adviser and Director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington DC, which is the world’s number one-ranked think tank for defence and co-hosted the conference in Auckland with Victoria University of Wellington’s Centre for Strategic Studies.
Read the full story on Newsroom.
NZ in Iraq - What happens next?
20 February 2018
Kiwi troops based at Camp Taji in Iraq are part of a mission to train Iraqi troops. Questions have been raised about New Zealand's ongoing role in the country.
Forthcoming prime ministerial talks in Australia for Jacinda Ardern will almost definitely include the future of the 2015 New Zealand deployment, alongside Australia, in Iraq of a defence force contingent to train and mentor Iraqi army units for their fight against Jihadi extremism.
Read the full story by CSS Senior Fellow Terence O'Brien.
NZ on North Korea: should we swallow a nuclear rat?
17 January 2018
With New Zealand among those at an international summit in Canada to discuss North Korea's nuclear programme, Robert Ayson says we may have to swallow a "nuclear rat" to prevent war on the Korean peninsula – even if it cuts against our anti-nuclear ideals.
Read the full story on Newsroom.