Suzannah Jessep: Asia New Zealand Foundation CEO on the Perceptions of Asia survey, the US being seen as a bigger threat than China

Global instability is reshaping our relationships with major powers and pushing us closer to Asian countries.  

The Asia New Zealand Foundation's new survey of members finds Japan is viewed as our most trusted partner in the region, followed by Singapore.  

The US is now seen as a bigger threat than China – with trust in both about the same.  

Asia New Zealand Foundation CEO Suzannah Jessep told Heather du Plessis-Allan threat perceptions are quite elastic – it rose during the first Trump presidency, dipped during Biden, and have risen sharply this year. 

She says New Zealanders are reacting to what they see and experience, and during the survey period there was a sense of the US breaking the rules, impacting our economy and security.  

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