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# Face of the Day
- URL: https://goodoil.news/face-of-the-day-954/
- Published: 2024-04-21T18:30:00.000Z
- Updated: 2024-04-21T02:59:13.000Z
- Author: Good Oil Staff
- Tags: NZ Politics, Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2024-06-28 02:24

> After a period of New Zealand’s focus elsewhere under Jacinda Ardern’s leadership, then border closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Southeast Asia was beginning to ask New Zealand: ‘Where are you?’  
>  
> The Asean group of nations will no doubt be glad of Luxon’s answer.  
>  
> The level of intensity the Prime Minister was bringing to the area of foreign affairs – with a key focus on Australia and Asia – was deliberate.  
>  
> “You want to make sure New Zealand never, ever, loses influence,” he told Newsroom.  
>  
> “We want to be at the table; we have a lot to offer the world. We stand up for some great values … We never want to be brushed off or not relevant.” \[…\]  
>  
> In all three countries, he committed to upgrading existing agreements within the next two years. A timeline that’s had foreign affairs officials taking a deep breath.  
>  
> In the case of the Philippines, there were separate [promises to deepen defence ties](https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/04/19/defence-deal-to-counter-beijings-aggression-in-south-china-sea/?ref=goodoil.news) and increase interoperability for military training and humanitarian purposes. And in Thailand, came a commitment to triple trade in the next 20 years.  
>  
> “I wanted to blow the cobwebs off and get our system to understand we’re going to go out in the world and be very externally oriented,” Luxon said.  
>  
> Now – as a Prime Minister focused on outcomes – he needed to see these promises through.  
>  
> Asia New Zealand Foundation chief executive Suzannah Jessep said political leaders in the past had made ambitious promises; he wasn’t the first. But not all of them backed up their rhetoric with a solid strategy and systems changes.  
>  
> *[Newsroom](https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/04/21/luxon-pushes-at-an-open-door-in-southeast-asia/?ref=goodoil.news)*

[Read more here](https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/04/21/luxon-pushes-at-an-open-door-in-southeast-asia/?ref=goodoil.news). Discuss it on *The BFD.*

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