New Zealand is deepening ties with Southeast Asia to boost security and prosperity in an increasingly unstable global climate, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said.

Speaking from Malaysia, where he attended the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting this week, Peters said New Zealand was engaging more intensively than ever with Southeast Asia, recognising its strategic importance in an increasingly uncertain world.

Next year marks 50 years of dialogue between New Zealand and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Peters said discussions in Malaysia this week had been a significant step toward formalising a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN by October 2025.

The meetings also provided an opportunity for New Zealand to mark the half-century of diplomatic engagement with the regional bloc and reinforce its reputation as a consistent and valuable partner.

This week’s meeting was Peters’ tenth engagement with East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers since he attended the inaugural gathering in Kuala Lumpur in 2005. He said New Zealand remained proud to have been among the original nations to help establish the summit as ASEAN’s leading strategic forum.

Peters said dialogue and cooperation with regional partners were more essential than ever as global tensions rise. He reaffirmed New Zealand’s enduring commitment to shaping a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific through regional partnerships.

Key regional security issues were high on the agenda. Peters said New Zealand reiterated its concern over the ongoing crisis in Myanmar and rising tensions in the South China Sea. Discussions also touched on instability in the Middle East and the growing threats to the Indo-Pacific’s strategic balance.

In addition to the summit, Peters held bilateral meetings with counterparts from Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the United States and Viet Nam.

Peters also met with recipients of the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Programme. He said people-centred connections remained vital to deepening regional ties, and the scholarship initiative played an important role in fostering long-term relationships and goodwill.

The Minister’s visit to Malaysia marked the 36th official ministerial visit by New Zealand to Southeast Asia since February 2024. Peters said the increasing frequency of such visits reflected the Government’s strategic priority to bolster engagement across the region.

He expressed appreciation to Malaysia, the 2025 ASEAN Chair, for its hospitality and efforts in hosting the week’s meetings. He said the Government looked forward to continuing to strengthen bilateral ties with Malaysia and all ASEAN member states.

Peters concluded that New Zealand would continue to expand its presence and partnerships in Southeast Asia to ensure long-term security, economic resilience, and regional stability in a shifting geopolitical landscape.