TOPIC

/ location

New Zealand

The latest news, analysis and opinion on New Zealand. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Wellington

Head of State

King Charles III

Head of Government

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon

A residential area near Wellington, New Zealand. Photo: Xinhua

Environment

New Zealand’s Wellington hit by ‘disgusting’ deluge of faeces after storm

The capital city’s utilities company said crews were working to remove debris and disinfect the homes.

5 Jun 2026 - 11:29AM

Taiwan

Beijing slaps travel ban on New Zealand MPs for ‘crossing red line’ over Taiwan

4 Jun 2026 - 8:01PMvideocam

US-China relations

US and ‘Five Eyes’ allies warn of LinkedIn China spying threat

4 Jun 2026 - 7:56AMvideocam

Defence

Is New Zealand a ‘freeloader’? Wellington rebuffs Hegseth’s Shangri-La remark

Analysts say the US defence secretary’s taunts ring hollow given Washington’s own record of undermining alliance obligations.

3 Jun 2026 - 4:44PM

Delegates watch US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speech on a screen at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

China trade

Australian beef will soon be hit by 55% tariff in China, ministry says

China’s imports of Australian beef are about to surpass a quota introduced by Beijing to protect domestic farmers.

2 Jun 2026 - 6:30PM

Singapore

Shangri-La Dialogue: can Asia do ‘less Shangri-La, more ships, more subs’?

In response to Hegseth’s call, participants at the Singapore forum say defence spending levels have to factor in different countries’ needs.

31 May 2026 - 11:46PMvideocam

Technology

Opinion | For SpaceX, global dominance may not be written in the stars

Space is not an ordinary, commercial, open market but a strategic domain tied directly to sovereignty, security and industrial policy.

31 May 2026 - 4:30PMvideocam

The SpaceX Starship and super heavy booster creates sound waves as it lifts off on its 12th test flight from the SpaceX launch complex in Starbase, Texas, US, on May 22. Photo: Reuters

United States

New Zealand tells US it lacks billions ‘under the couch’ to boost defence

Finance Minister Willis takes a jab at Hegseth, says his demands ‘would be extremely challenging’ for New Zealand.

31 May 2026 - 9:21AM

Singapore

17 nations launch pact to protect vital undersea cables amid US, China absence

Singapore’s defence chief tells the Shangri-La Dialogue the pact aims to explore potential areas of collaboration and share best practices.

1 Jun 2026 - 9:40AM

Singapore

US senator warns of Indo-Pacific risks as Hegseth stresses ‘quiet’ tactics

Hegseth told the Shangri-La Dialogue that the US remained committed to the region as Duckworth criticised his policy and burden-sharing demands.

31 May 2026 - 5:45PMvideocam

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth attends the Shangri-La Dialogue forum in Singapore on Saturday. Photo: EPA

US-Asean relations

Tariffs, war and broken trust: Southeast Asia’s Trump problem

Disillusioned by US unpredictability, the region is learning to diversify – while Trump treats allies as bargaining chips.

30 May 2026 - 7:30AM

Hong Kong courts

Legal Tales | The evolution of Hong Kong’s independent common law

A recent Court of Final Appeal ruling confirms that the city’s common law is its very own.

28 May 2026 - 9:32AM

South China Sea

As allies boost Taiwan Strait transits, why is the US going a different route?

Chinese think tank notes the changing risks: ‘China will inevitably respond, and that makes the overall situation appear more tense’.

27 May 2026 - 10:08PMvideocam

Mergers & Acquisitions

Hong Kong’s Jardine Matheson buys Australian diagnostic group I-MED for US$2.4b

The acquisition is one of the investment company’s largest in recent years and follows its Mandarin Oriental buyout in January.

25 May 2026 - 7:59PM

The Sydney Opera House at Bennelong Point in Australia. Photo: Shutterstock

Animals

Suspected sea lion bite halts New Zealand surfing event

A photographer shooting the World Surf League was bitten on the foot while in the water.

25 May 2026 - 11:48AM

A sea lion sits on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Photo: Reuters

Drones

‘We depend on sea’: NZ to invest in drones, ships for maritime security

The oceans are not a barrier to danger, but a vital national interest that must be actively secured, said Defence Minister Chris Penk.

23 May 2026 - 8:14PM

South China Sea

Why the largest-ever US-Philippine drill, and Japan’s role, makes China uneasy

The scale of this year’s Balikatan exercise has been described as part of a trend that will ‘exacerbate regional instability’.

23 May 2026 - 7:53PMvideocam

Fame and celebrity

Meet Antony Starr, the New Zealand actor who plays Homelander in The Boys

The New Zealand actor was once linked to his co-star Erin Moriarty, and is now said to be dating Sofía Vergara’s cousin, Sandra Vergara.

21 May 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

Antony Starr, who plays Homelander in The Boys. Photos: @benjaminholtrop/Instagram, Handout

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Letters | In medical incident probes, stats and facts are as vital as transparency

Readers discuss the nuanced difference between a medical blunder and a medical complication, AI and mental health, and the IMF’s advice to Hong Kong.

21 May 2026 - 11:30AM

India

Trump’s H-1B visa squeeze paves way for Indian tech exodus

India’s tech workers helped build Silicon Valley. Now, rising H-1B barriers are sending the next generation elsewhere.

20 May 2026 - 6:00PM

Accidents and personal safety

New Zealand car crash: how Hongkongers can stay safe when driving abroad

Experts say motorists must be careful when adapting to driving on opposite side of vehicle with unfamiliar road conditions.

16 May 2026 - 11:15PM

The traffic accident occurred on a highway on the South Island on Friday. Photo: Handout

Accidents and personal safety

2 Hong Kong tourists killed, 2 injured in New Zealand car crash

Chinese consulate activates emergency response, pledging full support to the victims and their families.

16 May 2026 - 9:56PM

The traffic accident occurred near the intersection of North Rakaia Road and State Highway 1 in the Selwyn District on the South Island. Photo: New Zealand Transport Agency

Japan

Japan-South Korea ‘comfort women’ row stoked by statues abroad

The removal of wartime sex slave memorials in Germany and New Zealand has electrified certain LDP hardliners, risking a diplomatic rift.

14 May 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

China trade

Asia needs ‘institutional toolbox’ to survive global shocks, China experts warn

Ahead of Trump’s China visit, experts at an RCEP forum discuss a supply-chain overhaul, looking to insulate the world’s biggest trading bloc.

13 May 2026 - 4:42PMvideocam

Japan

Mogami momentum: why Japan’s warship is winning over New Zealand

Japan’s Mogami and Britain’s Type 31 are the top two contenders, but Australia may have already tipped the scales.

9 May 2026 - 10:30AM

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force frigate JS Mogami sailing in an undisclosed location. Photo: Australian Defence Force / AFP

China economy

Outside In | Prepare for ‘China shock 3.0’ to the global food economy

Imagine China applying the same industry policy playbook for electric cars, solar panels and AI to agriculture and food self-sufficiency.

8 May 2026 - 4:30PMvideocam

A worker checks rice seedlings on vertical racks at an intelligent rice seedling factory on April 2 in Changsha, Hunan province. Photo: China News Service via Getty Images

Asean

Opinion | Why China’s warning over military blocs is finding listeners in Asia

For regional governments, strategy is about preserving options. China has read this instinct carefully and given it a diplomatic vocabulary.

8 May 2026 - 5:30AMvideocam

Defence

Japanese Mogami-class ships possible replacements for New Zealand’s ageing fleet

Wellington plans to increase defence spending to about 2 per cent of gross domestic product, citing rising geopolitical tensions.

7 May 2026 - 9:55AM

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New Zealand

New Zealand’s Wellington hit by ‘disgusting’ deluge of faeces after storm

The capital city’s utilities company said crews were working to remove debris and disinfect the homes.

Beijing slaps travel ban on New Zealand MPs for ‘crossing red line’ over Taiwan

US and ‘Five Eyes’ allies warn of LinkedIn China spying threat

Is New Zealand a ‘freeloader’? Wellington rebuffs Hegseth’s Shangri-La remark

Analysts say the US defence secretary’s taunts ring hollow given Washington’s own record of undermining alliance obligations.

Australian beef will soon be hit by 55% tariff in China, ministry says

China’s imports of Australian beef are about to surpass a quota introduced by Beijing to protect domestic farmers.

Shangri-La Dialogue: can Asia do ‘less Shangri-La, more ships, more subs’?

In response to Hegseth’s call, participants at the Singapore forum say defence spending levels have to factor in different countries’ needs.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | For SpaceX, global dominance may not be written in the stars

Space is not an ordinary, commercial, open market but a strategic domain tied directly to sovereignty, security and industrial policy.

New Zealand tells US it lacks billions ‘under the couch’ to boost defence

Finance Minister Willis takes a jab at Hegseth, says his demands ‘would be extremely challenging’ for New Zealand.

17 nations launch pact to protect vital undersea cables amid US, China absence

Singapore’s defence chief tells the Shangri-La Dialogue the pact aims to explore potential areas of collaboration and share best practices.

US senator warns of Indo-Pacific risks as Hegseth stresses ‘quiet’ tactics

Hegseth told the Shangri-La Dialogue that the US remained committed to the region as Duckworth criticised his policy and burden-sharing demands.

Tariffs, war and broken trust: Southeast Asia’s Trump problem

Disillusioned by US unpredictability, the region is learning to diversify – while Trump treats allies as bargaining chips.

Legal Tales | The evolution of Hong Kong’s independent common law

A recent Court of Final Appeal ruling confirms that the city’s common law is its very own.

As allies boost Taiwan Strait transits, why is the US going a different route?

Chinese think tank notes the changing risks: ‘China will inevitably respond, and that makes the overall situation appear more tense’.

Hong Kong’s Jardine Matheson buys Australian diagnostic group I-MED for US$2.4b

The acquisition is one of the investment company’s largest in recent years and follows its Mandarin Oriental buyout in January.

Suspected sea lion bite halts New Zealand surfing event

A photographer shooting the World Surf League was bitten on the foot while in the water.

‘We depend on sea’: NZ to invest in drones, ships for maritime security

The oceans are not a barrier to danger, but a vital national interest that must be actively secured, said Defence Minister Chris Penk.

Why the largest-ever US-Philippine drill, and Japan’s role, makes China uneasy

The scale of this year’s Balikatan exercise has been described as part of a trend that will ‘exacerbate regional instability’.

Meet Antony Starr, the New Zealand actor who plays Homelander in The Boys

The New Zealand actor was once linked to his co-star Erin Moriarty, and is now said to be dating Sofía Vergara’s cousin, Sandra Vergara.

Letters | In medical incident probes, stats and facts are as vital as transparency

Readers discuss the nuanced difference between a medical blunder and a medical complication, AI and mental health, and the IMF’s advice to Hong Kong.

Trump’s H-1B visa squeeze paves way for Indian tech exodus

India’s tech workers helped build Silicon Valley. Now, rising H-1B barriers are sending the next generation elsewhere.

New Zealand car crash: how Hongkongers can stay safe when driving abroad

Experts say motorists must be careful when adapting to driving on opposite side of vehicle with unfamiliar road conditions.

2 Hong Kong tourists killed, 2 injured in New Zealand car crash

Chinese consulate activates emergency response, pledging full support to the victims and their families.

Japan-South Korea ‘comfort women’ row stoked by statues abroad

The removal of wartime sex slave memorials in Germany and New Zealand has electrified certain LDP hardliners, risking a diplomatic rift.

Asia needs ‘institutional toolbox’ to survive global shocks, China experts warn

Ahead of Trump’s China visit, experts at an RCEP forum discuss a supply-chain overhaul, looking to insulate the world’s biggest trading bloc.

Mogami momentum: why Japan’s warship is winning over New Zealand

Japan’s Mogami and Britain’s Type 31 are the top two contenders, but Australia may have already tipped the scales.

Outside In | Prepare for ‘China shock 3.0’ to the global food economy

Imagine China applying the same industry policy playbook for electric cars, solar panels and AI to agriculture and food self-sufficiency.

Opinion | Why China’s warning over military blocs is finding listeners in Asia

For regional governments, strategy is about preserving options. China has read this instinct carefully and given it a diplomatic vocabulary.

Japanese Mogami-class ships possible replacements for New Zealand’s ageing fleet

Wellington plans to increase defence spending to about 2 per cent of gross domestic product, citing rising geopolitical tensions.

Opinion | For SpaceX, global dominance may not be written in the stars