Asia Media Center: Year in Review 2025
Table of Contents
Asia Media CentreS reporting this year followed those shifts closely. The stories ranged from breaking news to long-form features, from clear explainers to more personal reporting, offering New Zealand readers context on events unfolding across the region – adn why they mattered.
What follows is a selection of the stories that defined our year.
Biggest Headlines
Coverage in 2025 often focused on moments when politics across Asia shifted abruptly – and rarely neatly. Reporting on South Korea’s political crisis and the election of a so-called “fresh start” candidate unpacked the uncertainty facing one of the region’s most closely watched democracies.
In Thailand, a familiar pattern re-emerged as courts, governments, and institutions once again collided. This culminated in the suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra,alongside a brief but volatile border clash with Cambodia that ended in a short-lived ceasefire.
Beyond domestic politics, several pieces examined Asia’s place in a shifting global order. Reporting on the return of US tariffs under Donald Trump explored how decisions made in Washington ripple across Asian economies.
Other stories examined emerging alignments, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and what they signal about changing power dynamics.
profiles such as the examination of Rodrigo Duterte’s political rise – and fall – highlighted how past leadership styles continue to shape present-day realities.
Resources and Explainers
As the news cycle sped up, explainer pieces helped provide context and clarity.
Throughout the year, readers returned to practical stories that broke down complex issues – from how to do business in China and navigate everyday consumer trends there, to tracking the growth of Indonesia’s digital economy.
Other explainers examined how Southeast Asian governments manage relations with major powers, often balancing competing interests rather than taking clear sides.
Several pieces focused on the drivers shaping politics at ground level. Reporting on Gen Z-led protests, meme-driven campaigning, and broader regional trends explained how political messages are formed and spread.
An on the Radar explainer on trade, tariffs, and negotiations between the United States and Southeast Asia set out key terms, processes, and timelines, and was used as a reference for understanding these issues, translating technical language and policy jargon into clear, accessible reporting.
Listen to our latest Asia Insight podcast episode – interview with Dr Samir Saran. Photo: Asia Media Centre
Insights and Opinion
Asia Media Centre’s analysis and opinion pieces this year tackled difficult subjects head-on. Essays on Thailand’s recurring political instability, Japan’s first female prime minister, Timor-Leste’s long and careful journey toward ASEAN membership,
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