Welcome to the latest newsletter from the Asia New Zealand Foundation. We would like to extend our strongest message of support to Christchurch and Canterbury residents, friends and collaborators in the wake of the devastating earthquake on 22 February. This year's Chinese Lantern Festival in Christchurch was cancelled; you can find out photos of our Lantern Festival perfomers on our Facebook page. More stories on our work can be found on www.asianz.org.nz.

Research urges better ways to engage Kiwi expats in Asia

In a globalised world where people and ideas move freely, influential expatriate networks can play a big role in furthering national interests and international cooperation. Our Outlook 15 report, Engaging Asia: The role of the diaspora, was launched in February with special guest Jenny McGregor, Group CEO of Asialink and Executive Director of the Asia Education Foundation in Australia.

Track II interview: Jenny McGregor, Group CEO Asialink

Under Jenny McGregor's leadership, Asialink has become Australia's largest non-government centre for the promotion of Australia-Asia relations. During her visit to New Zealand, Ms McGregor met with the Minister of Education Anne Tolley and the Secretary for Education Karen Sewell, and gave a presentation on Australia’s relationship with Asia at a business lunch hosted by Deloitte. She took the time to give Asia:NZ this interview.

Doing business in India: New Zealand case studies

New Zealand companies looking to sell in India need to make “a long-term commitment and investment, adds Gallagher SMS general manager Curtis Edgecombe. These two new business case studies, on Glidepath and Gallagher SMS, focus on the logistics and processes of establishing a New Zealand company's presence in the Indian market.

Learning about banking in Cambodia

Fiona Natusch is the 2011 Asia:NZ-ANZ Bank business intern in Phnom Penh, working at WING, a wholly owned subsidiary of ANZ Bank with over 100,000 customers spread across each of Cambodia's 24 provinces. Fiona will be in the Cambodian capital from January to April 2011on the Asia:NZ-ANZ business internship and has sent us these initial impressions of settling into her work. We are now accepting applications for our 2012 business internships in Asia.

Royal Oak students - ambassadors for NZ in Japan

Six students from Auckland's Royal Oak Intermediate School attended the Asian Pacific Children’s Convention in Auckland’s sister city of Fukuoka, Japan last year. Over 200 international and 250 Japanese students gathered there, together with 42 peace ambassadors. The convention aims to deepen global understanding among young people through an intercultural exchange camp, a home stay experience and school visits.

ENDS

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