New Zealand China Council Podcast

New Zealand China Council Podcast

The New Zealand China Council is a NZ led and funded organisation which acts as a cross-sector, peak body for the New Zealand China relationship. The NZ China Council Podcast provides insight on the relationship, featuring perspectives from across the business, academic and political communities.

  1. Jul 15

    A window into China’s AI and robotics

    China has made a firm decision to prioritise the development and implementation of AI, as a core tech pillar for its next stage of socio-economic development. But we hear very little about China’s advancements, achievements and challenges. In June 2026 our Council joined with AI Forum New Zealand and Tech New Zealand for a one-week, deep-dive visit to four cities in China, to look at AI and robotics under development and in daily use. In this podcast, delegation members Blake Harkness, Ernestynne Walsh and Michael Murphy share their visit impressions, reflections and surprises with our executive director Alistair Crozier.

    A window into China’s AI and robotics

  2. Apr 9

    Learning to make a difference: The New Zealand-China education relationship and its impacts

    Currently over 33% of New Zealand’s international students are from China, totaling almost 30,000 students in 2024. The lifelong connections these links create have helped to fuel the bilateral relationship in many other ways. But it’s also a challenging sector: Evolving Chinese student preferences and choices, an increased focus on complex in-China education delivery, risk vs opportunity calculations for research collaboration, and a huge imbalance in the number of kiwi students heading to China (and support New Zealand offers to them) are amongst many sectoral issues worth deeper reflection. In March 2026 our Council released a comprehensive research report on NZ-China education relationship, titled Learning to Make a Difference. This podcast is a recording of the online event to launch the report, featuring author Rebecca Needham and a panel of senior international education experts. The report itself, with two smaller companion reports, is also available on our website under the ‘Initiatives’ -> ‘Publications’ tab.

    Learning to make a difference: The New Zealand-China education relationship and its impacts

  3. 10/02/2025

    The Schwarzman Scholars Programme through NZ eyes

    The Schwarzman Scholars Programme offers an unparalleled chance to study global affairs for a year at Tsinghua University in Beijing, taught by and studying alongside some of the world’s best and brightest. Yet few New Zealanders have participated. Jamie Wood is one who has. In this podcast Jamie talks about her experiences, and the windows into China and the world opened through the programme; as well as her next career move, with an AI and robotics-focused Chinese investment fund.

    The Schwarzman Scholars Programme through NZ eyes

  4. 07/15/2025

    Tastes of Two Worlds – China’s Food Sector from a kiwi entrepreneur’s perspective

    What does it take to build a food brand in one of the world’s fastest-changing markets? What food trends are shaping Chinese consumer choices in 2025? How are consumers responding to sustainability when it comes to food? And do Kiwi exporters need to keep up with “China speed”? In this episode, Kiwi entrepreneur Christiana Zhu 朱佳慧 talks to the Council’s Summer Xia about her journey as Founder-CEO of Marvelous Foods—the company behind Yeyo, China’s first dairy-free coconut yogurt—along with insights from her other diverse experiences in and with China. Whether you’re curious about the China market, passionate about sustainability, or love a good founder story, this episode is packed with insights worth exploring.

    Tastes of Two Worlds – China’s Food Sector from a kiwi entrepreneur’s perspective

  5. 03/20/2025

    China’s ‘Two Sessions’ 2025 Signals to Watch

    Are China’s annual ‘Two Sessions’ (known in Chinese as ‘lianghui’) in early March the world’s largest political meetings you didn’t hear about? We’re back again for a discussion of these critical political meetings in 2025, hosting our returning contributor Associate Professor Jason Young, Director of the Contemporary China Research Centre at Victoria University of Wellington, talking with our Council’s Executive Director Alistair Crozier (For those new to the 'lianghui’ you can also check out our previous video explainer on our 'INSIGHT' page for a quick introduction.) As Beijing outlines its priorities for socio-economic growth, innovation, green development, foreign policy and much more, these meetings hold important clues for New Zealand's relationship with our largest trading partner.

    China’s ‘Two Sessions’ 2025 Signals to Watch

  6. 03/06/2025

    Te hono a te ao Māori ki a Haina: Māori approaches to engagement with China past, present, future

    In February 2025, we launched our latest research report: Te hono a te ao Māori ki a Haina: Māori approaches to engagement with China past, present, future. Hear from the report authors and other rangatira involved in the relationship, to understand this unique partnership and the future opportunities and prosperity it offers.

    Te hono a te ao Māori ki a Haina: Māori approaches to engagement with China past, present, future

  7. 09/18/2024

    Bridging Cultures: Navigating the study of Chinese languages and Te Reo Māori

    This September in Aotearoa New Zealand, we celebrate two special weeks: Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (14–21 Sept), marking the 52nd anniversary of the Māori Language Petition on Saturday 14th, and New Zealand Chinese Language Week (22–28 Sept). Both initiatives promote language learning in New Zealand by raising awareness, sharing cultural stories, and connecting communities. Languages bridge cultures, fostering understanding and appreciation. With this inspiration in mind, our latest podcast features @EThan Jones, @Laura Oh, and @Luke Qin, who join our Council’s Assistant Director @Summer Xia to discuss their journeys of learning Te Reo Māori and Chinese languages, exploring linguistic and cultural connections and sharing some fun stories along the way (some were very surprising).

    Bridging Cultures: Navigating the study of Chinese languages and Te Reo Māori

  8. 08/15/2024

    The big China issues of 2024: An Australian perspective

    Like New Zealand, Australia is also tracking China’s economy closely, as well as grappling with increasingly complex regional geopolitics. It’s always helpful for us to swap notes, especially with an acknowledged Australia-China expert. Professor James Laurenceson is Director of the Australia China Research Institute (ACRI), Australia’s first and only research centre focused exclusively on the bilateral relationship. In this podcast he and New Zealand China Council Executive Director Alistair Crozier explore a range of current China-related issues that are important on both sides of the Tasman, given their implications for our prosperity and security.

    The big China issues of 2024: An Australian perspective
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The New Zealand China Council is a NZ led and funded organisation which acts as a cross-sector, peak body for the New Zealand China relationship. The NZ China Council Podcast provides insight on the relationship, featuring perspectives from across the business, academic and political communities.

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