New Zealand’s influence as a nation is on the decline, according to the Lowy Institute’s annual Asia Power Index. 

NZ is one of only three countries to go backwards, alongside Russia and Myanmar. 

A traceable drop in diplomacy since 2018 is partly to blame. 

Lowy Institute’s SouthEast Asia Program Director Susannah Patton tells Mike Hosking the index looks at a range of things including economy, economic relationships and diplomacy. 

Patton says China’s power is described as plateauing due to long-term challenges. 

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