National Office and branch activities.

On 24 June the NZIIA combined with the Latin America Centre of Asia Pacific Excellence (Latin America CAPE) to hold a seminar on 'Looking our Way: Argentina's Views on New Zealand, China and the Asia-Pacific'. The three speakers were from the Argentine Council for International Relations: HE Eduardo A. Sadous, the director of the council's Committee on Asian Affairs, and council members Dr Jorge Malena and Patricio Giusto.

Another seminar hosted by the NZIIA and Latin America CAPE, together with Chapman Tripp, on 28 June heard Loreto Ley ton, the executive director of ABAC 2019, speak on 'APEC, ABAC and Exporters: New Opportunities for Business'.

On 2 July Ken Ash, director of the OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate, addressed a meeting in Wellington on 'Trade in Turbulent Times and How the OECD Can Best Support the Multilateral Trading System'.

On 19 August Christian Leffler, deputy secretary-general of the European External Action Service, addressed a meeting on 'The Rise of Multi-headed Challenges: How the EU Responds to Climate Change, Migration and Security'. This meeting was a joint effort with the European Union Delegation to New Zealand.

In partnership with the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Pacific Cooperation Foundation, the NZIIA held its annual conference on 'Pacific Futures' on 18 October 2019, in Auckland. The keynote speaker was Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters, while Samoa's deputy prime minister and minister of natural resources and environment, Afioga Fiame Naomi Mataafa, also spoke.

Wellington

The following meetings were held:

20 May Andrew Cumpston (deputy high commissioner of Australia), 'Australia in the Pacific: Foreign Policy Priorities'.

6 Jun Prof Alexander Gillespie (Faculty of Law, University of Waikato), 'Before, During, and After the Terror Attack of 15 March'.

27 Jun Dr Michael S. Daubs (programme director for media studies, Victoria University of Wellington), 'White Nationalism in the Network Society'.

23 Jul Dr Charlies Edel (a senior fellow at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney), 'The Origins of the New Cold War'.

31 Jul Jean H. Lee (director of the Hyundai Motor-Korea Foundation Center for Korean History and Public Policy at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, Washington DC and former Associated Press bureau chief in Pyongyang), 'Inside the Hermit Kingdom: Life in North Korea under Kim Jong Un'.

5 Aug Stephen...