Dr Reuben Steff, Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Geopolitics at Waikato University, explores New Zealand’s precarious position amid rising US-China tensions. He highlights growing geopolitical risks in the Pacific, China’s expanding influence, and New Zealand’s underprepared defence force, stressing the need for stronger military capability and closer ties with Australia. Steff also examines economic vulnerabilities, brain drain, and the importance of national resilience, urging a pragmatic, forward-thinking approach to security in an uncertain world.