Asia Media Centre’s 2025 coverage focused on political shifts, emerging alignments, and the human impact of events across the region, providing New Zealand readers with context on unfolding events and their significance.
Biggest Headlines
Reporting throughout the year often centered on abrupt and complex political changes across Asia. Coverage of South Korea’s political crisis and the election of a new leader unpacked the uncertainty facing the nation.
In Thailand, courts, governments, and institutions clashed, leading to the suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and a brief border conflict with Cambodia that ended with a ceasefire.
The return of US tariffs under Donald Trump and its impact on Asian economies was also a key focus, alongside emerging alignments like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and their implications for regional power dynamics.
A profile examined the political rise and fall of Rodrigo Duterte and its lasting effects on present-day realities.
Resources and Explainers
Explainer pieces provided context as the news cycle accelerated. Stories broke down complex issues, including doing business in China, navigating consumer trends, and tracking the growth of Indonesia’s digital economy.
Other explainers examined how Southeast Asian governments manage relations with major powers, often balancing competing interests. Reporting also focused on the drivers of politics at the ground level, including Gen Z-led protests and meme-driven campaigning.
An explainer on trade, tariffs, and negotiations between the United States and Southeast Asia clarified key terms, processes, and timelines.
Insights and Opinion
Analysis and opinion pieces tackled difficult subjects, including Thailand’s political instability, Japan’s first female prime minister, Timor-Leste’s journey toward ASEAN membership, and Sri Lanka’s economic recovery.
Reporting on Rohingya refugees in Malaysia highlighted the human consequences of informal policy approaches, while first-hand accounts from the South China Sea offered insight into the risks faced by journalists and observers.
Features
Long-form pieces explored culture, identity, and connection, including diaspora stories linking Aotearoa and Asia, and deep dives into food, arts, and culture.
Stories examined shared values, such as manaakitanga alongside Asian concepts like renqing, and profiled communities like the Lambani.
Intern and Grant Stories
Personal reporting from Asia Media Centre’s media interns and grant recipients working across the region—including Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and India—reflected the experience of reporting while learning and navigating different cultural expectations.
These pieces explored food security, tourism resilience, and the experience of reporting outside their home country.
Sports
Reporting on Asia’s growing role in world bowls examined the sport’s development across the region. A story followed a Kiwi adjusting to a new sporting environment in Asia, focusing on adaptation and cultural differences.
Most Read
Stories about corruption, climate disasters, and civic resistance were the most read in 2025. Reporting on alleged flood-control corruption in the Philippines, severe flooding in southern Thailand, and anti-corruption movements across Southeast Asia resonated with readers.
Recognised Stories
Analysis examining the role of middle powers in the South China Sea and reporting on Nepal’s youth-led revolt were shared and acknowledged across academic, policy, and media circles.
The year’s coverage captured moments of disruption and turning points, emphasizing the importance of understanding developments across Asia.
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